


ribbon

by roseyongs



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Bottom Lee Taeyong, Cat/Human Hybrids, Hybrid Lee Taeyong, Hybrids, I only tagged the main characters, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta, Minor Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Nakamoto Yuta, Minor Lee Taeyong/Nakamoto Yuta, Top Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, humans ruin everything, hybrids are mistreated, more characters will appear - Freeform, three hundred years into the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-10-23 10:00:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17681309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseyongs/pseuds/roseyongs
Summary: “i am not a pet. i feel the same as a human. my emotions are like yours. we may be different, but we're the same.”hybrids are treated lower than common pets. as either prizes, or pests. jaehyun discovers one that has endured being both.





	1. opening

**opening**

* * *

 

 _SEE_ _A_ _HYBRID?_  

 _REPORT_ _TO_ _THE_ _HPA!_

 _1800_ - _HYBRID_

 _SAVE_ _A_ _HYRBID_ _TODAY_

 

Hybrids were odd creatures. Half human, half animal. They shared characteristics with their animal, such as ears, eyes, extra appendages and behavioural tendencies. They didn't really belong in either world—the animal world or the human world. Despite the fact that they can morph into their animal, they still could really only survive as humans most of the time.

Nobody knows when hybrids really came into the world, all people know is that they were the result of some human experimentation in the late 21st century, creating a whole race of animalistic humans. Now in the early 24th century, there were at least two million hybrids in the world. An extremely small number compared to the human race, homing over nine billion across the earth. The human race did not flourish as much as scientists had originally believed in the early 21st century, the world being at seven and a half billion at that point in time.

Humans probably had wars to thank for the depletion of millions of their own.

Hybrids were pretty much the lowest of the low, mere animals—pets. They were kept in pet shops to be sold as pets to families, or once their family no longer wanted them, they were cast onto the street to fend for themselves. Like a pet. Some rare hybrids were sold on the black market at extremely high prices for wealthy peoples, and were treated as nothing more than prizes.

However, owning a hybrid became illegal in the early 23rd century. Most families just couldn't be bothered looking after them, and they ended up with more than one million hybrids living on the streets like rats. If a human were caught owning one, they'd have to pay a fine of $100,000 plus five years of gaol time. So now, if a human were to come across a hybrid, they were to contact the Hybrid Protection Agency—the HPA. Nobody really knows what the HPA do with the hybrids, most humans just think it's like the RSPCA, an organisation that saves hybrids.

But, they don't really know.

Universities allow the study of hybrids as selective classes to a very special few students; the class known as "hystudies". It was a class set up by hybrid activists, for people who find hybrids fascinating, or who are activists themselves. They study hybrids as though they were animals, a form of science. They study their behaviour, their bone structures, the way they morph, their animal characteristics—everything.

It wasn't a popular class, but it continued to run.

As do the hybrids. They run from humans. Humans are their downfall. Hybrids are scared of humans, and with good reason.

The humans were the reason for their existence anyway.


	2. one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He smiles, dimples deep in his cheeks. The cat purrs, watching as Jaehyun rummages through one of the bags, pulling out a fake-diamond encrusted collar with a silver bell dangling off it. The bell dings softly as Jaehyun carries it over to the cat, squatting down in front of it and carefully wrapping it around it's neck. The bell jingles as he lets his fingertips touch at it, the cat mewling softly in admiration.

**one**

 

* * *

 

JAEHYUN HAS ALWAYS had a fascination with hybrids, even studying them in university. He knows about their body structures, their behavioural patterns relating to the animal in which their characteristics are shared. Jaehyun loves the idea of someone being half animal, half human.

He often looks at videos of dog hybrids—his favourite. They usually have floppy ears and bushy tails, long and soft tongues and huge, sparkling eyes. When excited, they'd stick their tongue out, tails flapping cutely. His favourite breed would have to be the Cavaliers, they were so cute, he couldn't handle all the softness sometimes.

Hystudies was his favourite subject to study, but sometimes it really drained him. Some species of hybrids don't have a lot of information on them, so it was rather hard to write essays and construct presentations on such little material. Because of that, it usually takes him ages to find the right information to formulate an essay—which is exactly what he's been doing all afternoon.

Jaehyun glances at the huge holographic clock on the wall of the library, the big blue numbers reading after ten pm. He sighs—he's been in the library studying for his hybrid studies class for five hours now. He gets carried away sometimes—but he doesn't care, he loves learning about the hundreds of different hybrids. He tucks his holographic books on snake hybrids back into his backpack, standing to his feet. He shucks his bag onto his back, quickly leaving the library.

The library was only a quick fifteen-minute walk from his apartment, and for that Jaehyun was glad. Walking out in the cool night air was rather refreshing, even if the oxygen he inhaled wasn't completely clean. The city that his suburb bordered on was a messy metal jungle full of bright neon lights and bustling crowds—Jaehyun didn't particularly find the city all that pleasant. The bright lights of the city block out the stars in the night sky, the air was unclean, there were too many people...Jaehyun could rant on and on about all the negatives of the city.

Unfortunately for him, he went into the city a few times a week for his classes. The air-rail station was right outside his university so he wouldn't have to walk through the city, but still, he revered the city.

The biggest thing he hated about the city was the fact that it ate up all the nature and replaced it with metal and plastic. No real plants existed in the streets of the metal jungle, no animals no dirt, no nothing. The only piece of real nature left that Jaehyun knew of was Maine Park which was situated about two minutes down the road from Jaehyun's apartment complex. It was quite a large park with a playground situated in the centre. The playground is barren and falling apart because children of this day and age don't like going outside and playing, so that completely defeats the purpose of the playground. Hybrid and animal traps lay set up across the grass and hanging from the trees, just waiting to catch an unsuspecting hybrid.

Jaehyun hates the way humans destroyed the earth, but there really wasn't much he could do about it. He'd frequent the park often, just to escape this messed up reality and envision himself living in the past when trees and rainforests actually existed and millions of species of animals were still alive and thriving. Unfortunately, he's stuck in this century.

Jaehyun exhales deeply, his breath cloudy in the air. One of the things he liked about walking was that it gave him a chance to think. He often thinks about the world and about his life and well, he would just think. He glances over to the park as he passes the fence lining the edges, eyes skimming over the traps hanging in the trees and the playground falling apart.

Jaehyun frowns, stopping in his tracks. Everything around him is silent, and for a second, he feels like he's just hearing things. He swears he heard a sound, and he wasn't entirely sure of what it was. It sounded weak, maybe it was an animal? He wasn't sure. He sighs, shrugging his shoulders and continuing his walk home.

A soft, pained mewl catches his attention, and he halts abruptly. He did indeed hear something. Jaehyun looks around, trying to find where the sound had come from. He hears it again—it was faint, and it sounded like it was in pain. He turns around and dashes through the dark, dirty park, head turning rapidly. The meows were louder now—he was close. He stops, breath heavy as he stares down at a filthy silver cat curled up under an overflowing bin.

It raises it's head, eyelids barely open. It was shivering, it's fluffy tail curled around itself. Jaehyun tilts his head, squatting down in front of the cat. It shuffles back, hissing at him. The slight movement, however, caused it to whimper out in pain, it's head falling onto the dirty ground weakly.

Jaehyun reaches out with his large hands, gently cupping them around and under the thinning feline. The cat closes it's eyes, much too weak to fight back. Jaehyun carefully picks the cat up, lifting his shirt up and tucking it inside his shirt. It's fur tickles his skin, but he can feel just how cold the poor creature was.

He stands quickly, a gentle hold on the cat, cradling it to his chest. He makes a beeline for home, making sure the cat remained comfortable and warm. He just hoped the cat would last the night.

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun gently sets the thinning feline onto his couch, the small animal trying to move closer to him. Jaehyun sneezes, startling the cat. The cat whines, and Jaehyun rubs his nose, smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I'm allergic to cat fur," Jaehyun says, nasally. He then stands, the cat meowing at him. "It's okay, I'm just going to grab some bandages and milk, okay? I'll be right back." He whispers, and the cat seems to understand him, nodding it's head weakly.

Jaehyun turns and walks into the bathroom, pulling out his first-aid-kit, opening it to check if there were bandages, before heading back out into the kitchen. He opens the fridge, grabbing out a carton of light milk. He closes the fridge, then grabs out a bowl from the sink. He heads back over to the cat who is watching him with wide, grey eyes.

Jaehyun tilts his head to one side in confusion—a cat with grey eyes? That's unheard of.

He shakes the thought off, setting the milk, bowl and kit on the ground. He opens it, grabbing out a bandage. He turns to face the cat, gently pinching each of it's four legs until it hisses. The front left was the injured leg—so Jaehyun carefully held the leg out, wrapping it in gauze tightly. The cat whines in pain, it's ears pinning flat to it's skull.

"Sorry," Jaehyun apologises gently, voice velvety. He sniffles again, rubbing at his nose in irritation. He closes the kit, and proceeds to fill the bowl up with milk. "I don't have any cat food, so I'll have to grab some on payday." He offers a sincere smile, placing the bowl of milk onto the couch beside the cat.

The silver ball of fluff shakily stands to it's feet, wobbling over to the bowl. It arches over the bowl and hungrily laps up the milk. Jaehyun smiles gently, watching the cat down the milk.

He reaches out and tenderly rubs the cat's head, gently playing with it's ears. The cat purrs loudly, it's head pushing itself into Jaehyun's large palm.

"I'll look after you." Jaehyun whispers softly. The cat raises it's head at him, meowing quietly.

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun slams his head down on his desk, groaning loudly. He sits up, scrubbing a hand through his hair, deleting the page from his electronic notebook. His recently deleted bin in the corner of the screen read "thirty-six", and that just aggravates him more. He's been slouching at his desk for the past few hours trying to write his stupid snake hybrid essay, and each time he's started writing it, he's just deleted it.

Thirty-six times.

Jaehyun slips his glasses off his nose, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. A headache thrums behind his skin, making him feel worse than he already does. This essay was due next Friday, and he still had not made any process whatsoever with it. He exhales loudly in irritation, switching his notebook off. He glances from under his lashes at his clock in the corner of the desk, the time reading "1:45am".

He groans, pushing his chair out and standing up. He might as well go to bed now.

Jaehyun drowsily saunters into the kitchen, opening his fridge looking for his water-bottle. He blinks in confusion finding his fridge to be rather empty. He scratches his head, feeling a little crazy.

    A soft meow comes from behind him, and he turns, finding the silver cat sitting on the floor behind him. It stares up at him with it's large grey eyes, mewling quietly again. Jaehyun smiles slightly, closing the fridge and crouching down before the still pretty thin cat. He reaches out and gently pets it's head, the cat purring loudly in response. 

"You're quite a cutie, aren't you?" Jaehyun whispers, carefully picking the small cat up and cradling it in his arms. He stands to his full height, still stroking the silver cat's ears. The cat meows in response, lifting it's bandaged leg to paw at Jaehyun's nose.

    Jaehyun smiles, his heart bursting with love for the cute feline. He sniffles then sneezes, turning his face away so he wouldn't cover the cat in spit. The cat meows again, burrowing it's head under Jaehyun's chin. 

"Even though I'm allergic to you, you still love me," he whispers, grinning widely to himself. "How cute." He carries the bundle of fluff to his bedroom, carefully laying on his bed with the cat still in his arms. "Anyway, it's late, so it's time to sleep now." He blinks. "I'm talking to a cat. Wow, I'm more lonely than I thought."

The cat mewls, shuffling it's way out of Jaehyun's arms and walking across to Jaehyun's stomach. It curls up, wrapping it's tail around itself. Jaehyun laughs a little, shifting bit by bit so he could cover his lower half with his blanket.

"Goodnight." He whispers, closing his eyes. "Lights off." The lights flick off, and the room is engulfed in darkness.

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun pushes open the door, arms full of cat food, a cat bed, and other needs for the cat. He dumps all the shit onto the couch, sighing heavily in relief. He glances up from under his long lashes to stare at the bandaged silver cat curled up on the armchair, it's huge grey eyes staring straight at Jaehyun.

He smiles, dimples deep in his cheeks. The cat purrs, watching as Jaehyun rummages through one of the bags, pulling out a fake-diamond encrusted collar with a silver bell dangling off it. The bell rings softly as Jaehyun carries it over to the cat, squatting down in front of it and carefully wrapping it around it's neck. The bell jingles as he lets his fingertips touch at it, the cat mewling softly in admiration.

"I bought you so much freaking cat food," Jaehyun says softly, sitting on the floor in front of the cat. The cat paws at Jaehyun's nose, meowing cutely. He smiles at the cat, gently scratching it under it's neck. The purrs increase in volume, it's eyelids slipping shut in bliss. "Good cat, now come eat. You've been living off milk for the past two days."

Jaehyun stands, walking over to the bag of cat food, pulling out a tin and peeling open the cover. He sets it on the floor, feeling the cat brush up against his thigh. He watches the cat limp over to it, sniffing at it before turning its nose up in distaste. Jaehyun sighs loudly.

"You have to eat something!" He says, pouting down at the cat. "You haven't eaten for ages so why won't you eat?"

The cat ignores him, limping back to the armchair, jumping onto it and curling up once again. Jaehyun sighs loudly, again, standing to his feet and wandering into the kitchen. He scrubs a hand through his brown hair, opening his fridge in search of his own dinner. He frowns deeply as he looks through the shelves, realising that there was less food in his fridge than there was last night.

He tilts his head in confusion; was he eating all his food in his sleep?

 

Sighing once again, Jaehyun closes the fridge and rubs his temple.

 

"I'll need to go grocery shopping tomorrow." He mutters, glancing at the cat asleep on the armchair. Jaehyun sniffles, sneezing loudly, startling the sleeping feline. He rubs his nose, shooting the cat an apologetic look. "And some anti-allergy medication."

 

* * *

 

A loud clank from the kitchen snaps Jaehyun from his slumber, his heart beating erratically. He checks his holographic clock, the bright blue numbers reading three am. He groans, but jumps at the sound of his fridge closing. He scowls—was someone seriously breaking in just to steal his food?

    He climbs out of bed, reaching under the hovering mattress to grab at his metal baseball bat stashed away in case of emergencies. He walks slowly out of his bedroom and into the kitchen, finding the light above the bench switched on. He turns the corner, facing the pantry, and he drops the bat. 

The figure freezes, his long, bushy silver tail sweeping around in panic. He turns, his huge doe eyes widening in shock. Perked, silver cat ears lay buried amongst his overgrown silver hair, potato chips sticking out from his pink lips. He was also stark naked, skin pale, bandaged and bruised in the dim light of the kitchen.

Jaehyun collapses, the shock too much for his mind to handle.

 

* * *

 

The pillow beneath Jaehyun's head was soft, smooth, like silk. A soft fabric of some sort tickles his cheek, the touch gentle. He flutters open his eyes, blinking away the tears collected in his lashes. As his eyes adjust to the dim light of the night, his eyes blow open in surprise at the beautiful face staring down at him.

Huge grey doe eyes, pretty petal-pink lips in the shape of a delicate bow, shaggy silver hair overgrown into a messy mullet, a diamond-cut jawline leading into a thin-columned neck with broad shoulders and deep collarbones. Jaehyun's gaze travels down, drinking in the supple skin of his soft chest, pretty pink nipples perked on his chest, smooth and flat stomach narrowed at the sides. A bandage wraps tightly around his upper left arm, a thread hanging loose.

    He blinks, his head tilted all the way back, realising the pillow his head was on was in fact the man's soft thighs. His eyes shoot back up to the man's face, realising that he wore a diamond collar with a bell around his neck—the same as his cat. 

Jaehyun shrieks, sitting bolt upright, spinning around to stare at the pretty man. He was sitting on his knees with his hands shyly in his lap. A long, bushy silver swishes around, curling around his waist shyly. Two silver cat ears sit perked upon his head, almost hidden by his shaggy hair. He casts his grey gaze away from Jaehyun, biting his lower lip.

"Wh-who are you?" Jaehyun stutters out, voice tight.

"I...my name is Taeyong," the man speaks softly, his voice hoarse. It was soft, sweet, shy.

"You...you're a the cat I found...but..." Jaehyun murmurs, "you're a hybrid...a cat hybrid..." his gaze once again checks the male's body out from top to toe. The hybrid shuffles uncomfortably, grabbing his arm with his hand, staring at the ground with pink cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry for eating your food." He says quietly, toying with his tail. Jaehyun reaches out with his hand, completely ignoring what the hybrid had said, fingers brushing the soft fur of the tail wrapped around his waist. Taeyong flinches, whining softly at the gentle touch.

"Amazing," Jaehyun breathes, eyes wide. "I've never actually seen a hybrid before." He shuffles closer, noticing that the other male was smaller in stature compared to his tall and broad frame. He reaches up to Taeyong's ears, pausing before his fingers could touch the appendages. "M-may I?"

Taeyong nods slowly, bowing his head, the bell on his collar dinging softly. Jaehyun brushes his fingertips across the left cat ear, eyes wide in fascination as it flickered at the soft touch. He carefully pinches it, tracing his fingers from the tip to the base hidden amongst unruly silver hair.

The hybrid shudders, his tail tickling Jaehyun's arm as it wraps around his forearm. Jaehyun lets go, his heart beating loudly in his chest. He blinks, then only now realises that Taeyong, his cat, a hybrid, was completely naked in front of him.

Jaehyun couldn't help his eyes wandering down to the boy's stomach, gaze dipping below his waist. He blushes, hurriedly tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it at Taeyong. He gasps as the huge, baggy shirt lands over his lap, eyes wide in confusion.

"Put it on," Jaehyun stutters, standing to his feet. The cat hybrid glances up at Jaehyun from beneath his long silver eyelashes, a small pout on his pink lips. "It should cover your...uh...down there."

    Taeyong flushes, slowly lifting the shirt up and slipping his arms into it, pulling it over himself and popping his head through the hole. His ears flicker, eyes huge as they stare up at a half-naked Jaehyun. 

"Thank you," Taeyong says softly, lifting the front of the shirt, burying his nose into the inside of the fabric, deeply inhaling its scent. He smiles sweetly, his teeth white and grin cute.

Jaehyun blushes darker, turning and walking to his room. "You're welcome," he murmurs, glancing back at the hybrid. Taeyong stares after him as he disappears, the diamond collar around his neck glinting in the light.

    _This has to be a dream, right?_ Jaehyun questions himself internally. He runs a hand through his hair—a habit of his—biting his lower lip in thought. _It seems real enough, but then again, dreams can do that to you_. 

"Did I do something wrong, Master?" The hybrid asks in a small, tight voice. He stands in the doorway of the bedroom, and Jaehyun, almost at his bed, freezes. He turns to face the half-naked hybrid in the doorway, eyes wide.

"What did you call me?" Jaehyun asks, eyes wide. His heart drops at the look of panic that crosses Taeyong's pretty face; eyes flying wide and his tail curling around his thigh in fear.

"I-I'm sorry, p-please don't hurt me," the hybrid whimpers, lowering himself onto the floor, curling up in a protective ball. His body quivers, his ears pressed flat to his head. Jaehyun feels his heart crack at the sight, slowly approaching as to not scare the hybrid anymore.

    "N-no, don't apologise. It's okay," Jaehyun whispers gently, crouching down in front of the trembling silver-haired male. "Please don't be scared. I won't hurt you." He holds his hand out for the hybrid, Taeyong lifting his head to stare at the large, outstretched hand. His grey eyes glimmer with tears, his pink lips quivering. "I'm sorry for scaring you." 

 _This really does feel like a dream_.

Taeyong reaches out to Jaehyun, slipping his small, bony hand into Jaehyun's warm one. Jaehyun tenderly caresses the soft skin with his thumb, offering a gentle smile, dimples and all.

"Come here, let's go to bed, okay?" Jaehyun says quietly, and Taeyong nods slowly, allowing the tall human to coax him to his feet. Jaehyun gently leads Taeyong to his bed, letting the smaller male climb into the huge king single. He crawls under the covers, and Jaehyun watches the lump under the covers move in a comedic way, a grin of amusement tugging at the corners of his red lips. He lifts the covers back, climbing into the bed beside Taeyong who lay on his side, curled in a ball with his back to Jaehyun.

The light flickers off automatically, and they lay in silence. Jaehyun lays on his back, staring at the roof. Soft, pretty purrs fill the void of silence, and Jaehyun can't help the small smile on his lips.

    "Thank you," the hybrid whispers, his voice small and fading. 

 _A dream. A nice dream_.

Jaehyun continues to stare at the roof. Taeyong lays beside him, snoring softly. His soft, bushy tail curls around Jaehyun's thigh, the soft fur tickling his skin. Jaehyun was very, very much aware that Taeyong's lower half was still completely naked—the skin of his smooth thighs brushing against his leg.

He rolls over, facing the hybrid's back. He remembers the bruises littering the cat's body when he found him, his sprained ankle—wrist, and thinning body.

    Jaehyun was worried. What exactly did the hybrid encounter before Jaehyun stumbled across him in the park? 

He reaches out to Taeyong, gently wrapping an arm around his shoulders. The male tenses momentarily, before soft purrs resound from his chest, relaxing in Jaehyun's hold. He rolls over, curling into Jaehyun's broad, warm body, tucking his nose into the taller's neck. His soft, quivering breath tickles Jaehyun's skin, nose twitching gently. Jaehyun smiles gently, slipping his other arm beneath Taeyong, cuddling the hybrid with both arms.

    "I'll protect you, I promise." 

_Maybe it isn't a dream after all._

 

* * *

 

_the once tight knot  
is now becoming undone_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well what did you think so far? Sorry it’s so clunky DX it’s more of an introduction and exposition chapter so I apologise ^^”
> 
> 26/04/19  
> EDIT  
> Sooooo like this chapter did move a little fast and I noticed a couple of things I didn't like about it, so I changed it around.


	3. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let me tie up the ends of your ribbon.  
> Let me take care of you.  
> Let me put your pieces back together.

**two**

 

* * *

 

THE ALARM BLARES NOISILY, and the figure in the bed groans loudly. Jaehyun rolls over, reaching for his tablet, tapping it blindly until the loud beeping silences. He rolls back onto his back, facing the roof. His eyes slip open drowsily, staring blankly at the white ceiling.

He glances to his right, finding the silver cat curled up beside him. He blinks in confusion—was last night really all a dream? Finding a hybrid in his house, stealing his food, and calling him 'Master'? It felt real enough, but a lot of his dreams were pretty realistic.

Jaehyun sighs and pushes himself into a seated position, the blankets around his torso slipping down. The cool morning air caresses his naked skin, causing him to shiver. He stares down at his bare torso in confusion; his shirt was gone, did he take it off for real last night?

He shudders, rubbing his arm with his hand. "Temperature raise to twenty-five degrees Celsius." He orders, and the room's temperature immediately increases, the air warm. He ones again glances down to the cat beside him, the fluff ball curled up in his shirt. The collar was still around his neck, and the bandage was still wrapped around it's left front leg.

Jaehyun sighs, laying back down on his side, staring at the cat with large, attentive eyes. "Did last night really happen?" He whispers to himself, reaching over to gently pet the cat's head. It raises it's head, blinking it's eyes awake. It tilts it's head at Jaehyun, meowing softly. "...Taeyong?"

The cat tilts it's head in the other direction, the bell around it's neck dinging. Once again, Jaehyun exhales deeply, pushing himself up and out of the bed. The cat stares after him, watching as Jaehyun walks sulkily out towards the kitchen.

Jaehyun grabs out milk, cereal and a bowl, and pours himself a bowl of cereal. He sits at his countertop, drowsily eating his breakfast. He taps his ID bracelet, a holographic screen popping up. He scrolls through it, searching for his contacts. He opens his contacts and taps on "Sicheng", the bracelet beginning to dial.

It rang a few times until the blue, partially transparent holographic face of his friend pops up, floating just above his bracelet.

" _Jaehyun? What's up?_ " The Chinese student asks, stuffing his mouth full of pizza.

    Sicheng was Jaehyun's closest friend at the university who also took hystudies. They had been friends since they were young, so he knew the Chinese male inside and out. Sicheng had an extensive interest in reptilian hybrids, but that still didn't help them with their damn essays. Jaehyun guessed they were cool, but he preferred dog hybrids, which often caused heated "discussions" between the two. 

"Just thought I'd call before class today," Jaehyun says, popping a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

    " _Jae, what's the_ real _reason you're calling?_ " Sicheng grins, resting his chin on his hand. Jaehyun rolls his eyes, sighing deeply. 

"Okay, so, I had the weirdest dream last night," Jaehyun says, placing his spoon down. "You know the cat I told you about, the one I had found a few days ago?" Sicheng nods, and Jaehyun continues. "I dreamt that he was a hybrid, and that he was stealing my food and that he called me 'Master'."

    Sicheng laughs, causing him to choke on his pizza. " _He called you 'Master'?_ " He wheezes after he finishes coughing. 

Jaehyun nods, "Yeah."

    " _I gotta find you a boyfriend_ ," Sicheng grins, " _I mean, clearly you're sexually frustrated if you're dreaming about a hybrid calling you 'Master'_." 

"Cheng!" Jaehyun flushes dark red, covering his face with his hand. "Just 'cause he was naked and pretty does not mean I'm sexually frustrated!"

Sicheng barks a laugh, his mouth open wide. " _So, he was naked and pretty, huh?_ " He sneers, snickering at the flabbergasted look that crosses Jaehyun's face.

    "It was just a dream!" Jaehyun shouts, embarrassed. Sicheng leans forwards, squinting into the hologram. 

" _Jae, who's that behind you?_ " He asks, and Jaehyun's blood runs cold as ice.

"I'm just a dream, am I?" A soft, familiar voice asks from behind Jaehyun. He spins around in his seat, and he lets out a high-pitched scream; and so did the hybrid.

"What the fuck?!" Jaehyun shrieks, leaping from his seat. The holographic call cuts, and Sicheng's face disappears. "What—how—?" His gaze washes up and down the silver-haired hybrid again, realising that he was once again naked. "Why the fuck are you naked? Didn't I give you a shirt?" His voice is loud, and it was clearly scaring Taeyong, as his ears were pinned against his skull, eyes wide and tail curled protectively around his waist.

"I-I'm sorry, p-please stop sh-shouting..." he whimpers, his grey eyes glimmering with tears. Jaehyun's heart stops dead in his chest, and he immediately steps towards the hybrid, but the smaller steps back, hands clasping at each other over his chest in fear.

    "I'm sorry, please don't cry," Jaehyun whispers, stepping closer with his arms outstretched. Taeyong shakes his head, the tears slipping down his delicate cheeks. "Don't cry, please don't cry, I'm sorry for scaring you." 

    He gently envelopes the crying hybrid in his arms, the small male sobbing into his bare chest. Jaehyun lowers them both onto the floor so Taeyong could curl into him. The hybrid's tail wraps around Jaehyun's arm, the soft fur tickling his skin. Taeyong's tears dampen the taller's skin as he buries his nose into his neck. 

Taeyong trembles, hiccuping as he begins to calm down. Jaehyun runs his warm hand up and down the hybrid's bony spine, shushing him gently.

"I'm sorry, please don't be scared," Jaehyun whispers, shivering when the hybrid places a bony, cool hand against his chest.

    "I'm sorry," Taeyong apologises quietly, gently pushing the taller away. He wipes at his eyes, his almond-shaped pupils dilated. Jaehyun can't tear his gaze away—Taeyong's eyes were just so surreal, so pretty, so deep. 

They were a light grey, flecks of white and dark grey speckled throughout the huge iris, his black pupil almond-shaped like a cat's. The whites of his eyes were huge and pure white.

"No, don't apologise," Jaehyun mumbles, "you're scared of people shouting, I presume?"

Taeyong looks away, nodding slowly. Jaehyun tenderly runs his fingers through Taeyong's messy silver locks, tucking a stray piece behind his ear.

"Is it because of your sensitive ears, or past trauma?"

    Taeyong goes rigid, ears standing up straight. He stares at Jaehyun with a slight dumbfounded expression, but he otherwise stays silent. 

    Jaehyun sighs, letting go of the hybrid and slowly standing to his feet. "I won't ask, clearly it's a touchy subject for you." Jaehyun murmurs, and Taeyong nods once. "Come with me, I'll get you something to wear." 

Taeyong shakily stands to his feet, following Jaehyun like a duckling into his bedroom. Jaehyun slides open the door to his wardrobe, walking inside of it. Taeyong stands by the bed, watching attentively.

    "I don't have any self-adjusting clothing, so these will all probably be a bit big on you." Jaehyun says from somewhere inside the closet. Taeyong tries to peer inside, and stares as Jaehyun walks back out of the wardrobe with a pullover jumper and a pair of sweatpants. 

Jaehyun hands the clothing items to the hybrid, and gestures for Taeyong to put them on. Taeyong immediately slips the hoodie over his head, pulling it on. It reaches his mid-thigh, the grey jumper with the American flag on it baggy.

Jaehyun can't tear his gaze away as he watches the hybrid slightly bend over to pull the too-big sweatpants onto his thin legs. Taeyong stands straight, adjusting the drawstring around his narrowed waist, the elastic waistband slipping from one hip, hanging loosely. Taeyong looks at him, his eyes wide. He narrows them when he realises Jaehyun's gaze is on him, his tail curling around his waist protectively.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" Taeyong murmurs, defiant yet shy. Jaehyun wonders if he was still scared and if he was just building up the courage to act the way he once did before he was scarred.

Jaehyun blinks, squinting as he steps closer to the hybrid, eyes on the small scar below Taeyong's right eye. Taeyong steps back, panic settling into his pristine features. Jaehyun stops, holding his hands up and backing away.

    "Okay, I won't get closer," he says, "come, I'll cook you breakfast."

 

* * *

 

Taeyong shovels food into his mouth like there was no tomorrow, his once delicate cheeks now puffed out like a chipmunk's. He swallows heavily, raising his gaze to meet Jaehyun's—the taller was staring at him non-stop and clearly it was freaking him out.

"Do I have food on my face?" Taeyong asks incredulously, wiping at his pink lips, ears on his head twitching.

"No," Jaehyun says quietly. "How'd you end up on the street?" He asks, and the hybrid stiffens. He swallows a gulp of milk, eyes looking away from the human. "Clearly you belonged to someone, because for one, you called me 'Master' last night, and secondly, you're afraid of shouting so..." he shrugs his shoulders, and Taeyong just narrows his eyes, his pupils dilated into slits.

"No," was all he said, shovelling another mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. Jaehyun sighs loudly, running a hand through his black hair.

"How old are you?" He asks, and Taeyong looks at him once again. Jaehyun was sure that the hybrid wouldn't answer him, until he swallows and speaks.

"I'm twenty-six."

Jaehyun's eyes bulge out of their sockets, his jaw falling open. "You're... _what_?" He asks, flabbergasted. "You're six years older than me...what the hell..." he buries his face in his hands, having an internal breakdown as the cat resumes eating.

 _Why the hell does he look like a seventeen-year-old kid then?_ Jaehyun thinks to himself in astonishment, biting his lip.

    "Do you know any other hybrids?" Jaehyun asks, keeping his gaze on the bench. Taeyong hums in acknowledgement but doesn't respond. 

Jaehyun looks back up to the older who has otherwise licked the plate clean. He eyes the flat, pink tongue darting back into the hybrid's mouth as he licks the plate. Taeyong places the plate down and then once again raises his gaze to meet Jaehyun's.

"Is your tongue rough like a cat's?" Jaehyun asks, curious. Taeyong narrows his eyes dangerously, pressing his lips together tightly.

"Is your brain stupid like a human's?" He asks sarcastically, picking up the glass of milk and downing it.

Jaehyun blinks in shock. This demeanour was completely different from the persona the older had displayed earlier. Jaehyun thinks he was right—that the hybrid was probably a defiant creature, but bad experiences made him afraid and submissive.

He shakes his head with a sigh, glancing up to his holographic clock on the wall. He shrieks, leaping up from the bench, dashing into his bedroom. He was going to be late to his hystudies lecture. Taeyong watches him bustle around, eyes wide.

"Jaehyun?" He calls, and Jaehyun ignores him. He slips on a shirt and grabs his bag with his books. "Where are you going?" Jaehyun trips over himself as he slips his shoes on, stumbling through the doorway. "Wait! Don't leave me—"

The door slams shut, and the lock clicks.

    "...alone." 

 

* * *

 

    Jaehyun bursts through the doors of the classroom, black hair mussed and cheeks flushed. The students and professor all turn their heads to look at what the cat dragged in. The professor sighs deeply, running a hand through his ashen-blonde hair. 

"Jung, care to tell me why you're late?" He asks in irate, his Chinese accent thick. Jaehyun grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"S-sorry Wu-hyung. I got caught up with my cat this morning."

Snickers break out across the lecture hall, and Professor Wu sighs again, rubbing his temple.

"That doesn't give you an excuse to be late to my class, Jung." He says, and Jaehyun nods shyly, ears burning red.

"Sorry, Hyung." He says again, quieter. Wu tilts his head, gesturing for Jaehyun to take his seat.

    "You're lucky I like you, now go sit." He says. Jaehyun breathes a deep sigh of relief, dashing up the steps to his seat beside a snickering Sicheng. 

"I know why you were late," Sicheng whispers, and Jaehyun shoots him a look, ignoring him and focusing on the lecture. Jaehyun's eyes widen when he sees what's on the screen at the front of the lecture hall.

Today's lecture was on cat hybrids.

He rummages through his bag for his digital notebook, opening it. Blank white pages stare back at him, and he twists his digital pen in his hand. He readies it to write, gaze on the huge screen at the front of the lecture hall. Professor Wu commands the digital textbook to begin reading the current page.

"Make sure you're all getting notes down." He orders, gesturing to the screen. Jaehyun grabs his glasses out of his bag, slipping them onto his nose, staring attentively at the screen.

" _Cat hybrids, or_ felis catus hybrida _, are the second most populated hybrids after dog hybrids. They usually are a domestic kind, used to being looked after. However, once owning a hybrid became illegal in 2267, most of the cat hybrids ended up on the streets or dead. Because they were not able to take care of themselves out in the real world, they either died of starvation, hypothermia or were killed by animals, other hybrids or humans_."

Jaehyun's stomach twists in an unpleasant way hearing this. He chews on the end of his stylus, glancing down at his notebook, the digital lead on the page staring back at him.

" _Cat hybrids, unlike a lot of other hybrids, are more human than animal. Their characteristics relate to humans more than their animal counterpart. The main characteristics they share with cats are their ears, tails, teeth, tongue and eyes. Unlike most hybrids, they can only really eat and digest food that humans eat. Cat food doesn't sit well with their stomachs and they will throw it up again. Their taste buds are like a cat's as well, flat and rough, but how they taste is more akin to a human_."

 _Ah, so Taeyong's tongue is rough._ Jaehyun thinks to himself, _what would that feel like, kissing him then? Having a rough tongue in my mouth?_ He flushes, shaking his head.

" _Cat hybrids only clean themselves when they are in their cat form. Most cat hybrids don't like the water, so they will try to resort to only cleaning themselves when they are not in human form_."

That means he'll have to let Taeyong bathe himself, or at least struggle with trying to get him in the tub.

" _Their behavioural patterns differ depending on their personality, however most are skittish and are scared of overbearing figures and loud noises. Over time, their kind has evolved according to the times. Once upon a time, they were domestic, as said before, and well looked-after. But as the times change, they hybrids had to change too. They had to learn how to adapt to their new environment and how to keep safe from humans_."

Humans this, humans that. Humans really are the downfall of hybrids, huh?

" _Cat hybrids are also the most sought-after hybrids, being owned the most by the wealthy. They were used as slaves, as common pets, and for sexual purposes. According to these humans when owning these hybrids, cat hybrids were submissive and could, quote unquote, "give the best during sex", according to one source. They'd be sold at extremely high bids at auctions, the most expensive one being sold off at $25,000,000 USD_."

A low murmur spreads throughout the lecture hall, shocked whispers ghosting across the students. Jaehyun's own jaw drops at the large figure, eyes blowing wide. Twenty-five million dollars for a half-human, half-cat creature? He couldn't really believe it.

" _The anatomy for cat hybrids is mostly human, their bone structure is exactly like ours, however they have extra appendages and sharp canines in their mouth. Their bodies are usually sleek and narrow, bulky or broad cat hybrids are usually rare, but not unheard of. Their skin is usually smooth and unblemished, but that makes it more susceptible to bruise and scar. Their immune system, however, is extremely strong and they have a hard time getting ill_."

    So Jaehyun won't have to worry about Taeyong getting sick, but about him getting hurt. He jots down these notes, ignoring the side-glances Sicheng shoots his way. 

"What about claws?" Jaehyun asks himself quietly, raising his gaze to the screen again.

    " _When in human form, these hybrids do not have claws. Their nails are rather flat, but can scratch if they press hard enough. They, however, cannot purr in human form_." 

 _Interesting_...

" _The behavioural patterns studied from these creatures is quite simple. If they're attentive and cuddly, then they're lonely and in need of love. If their ears are pinned to the flat of their skull, then they're either annoyed, scared, angry or disheartened. If their ears are perked and alert, then that means they are usually happy, bright, and otherwise in a good mood. If their tail swishes around calmly, it means they are calm. If it flicks around like a whip, it means they are either in a playful mood or are getting angry or distressed. When they wrap their tails around themselves, it means they are scared or panicked. Their eyes also can tell a lot too. If their pupils are slits, it means they're full of energy and playful, or agitated and angry. If they're normal-sized and look like an almond-shape, then they're pretty much feeling neutral. If they're dilated, it means their heart rate has increased and that could mean many things_."

Jaehyun closes his notebook, hearing the shrill bell of the university end the lecture. A bustle arose from the students as they pack away their gear, hurrying out of the classroom.

"Remember guys, your essay on reptilian hybrids is due next Friday!" Professor Wu shouts after them, receiving a half-assed "yessir!" in response. He rolls his eyes, shutting the screen off. Jaehyun walks down the steps, Sicheng in tow. Wu looks up at Jaehyun, leaning against his desk. Jaehyun swallows, casting his gaze away nervously.

Kris Wu was definitely a very sexy man. He was quite young for a professor, tall and broad, handsome. The girls in Jaehyun's class were always sneaking pictures of him on their phones because they couldn't keep their eyes off the tall man in the tight suit, black-rimmed glasses and ashen blonde hair. Jaehyun wouldn't say he had a crush on the guy per se,

    Wu adjusts his glasses, staring down at Jaehyun. "So, why were you late to my class, Jaehyun?" He says, using the boy's first name instead of his family name. He folds his thick arms across his chest, leaning his hip against his desk. 

"Uhm...so..." Jaehyun stutters out nervously, his ears burning red. "I found a stray cat a few days ago and I got caught up in trying to get it to feed this morning."

Wu hums, "You were an hour late, Jaehyun."

"I know, I'm sorry," he murmurs. "It won't happen again."

Wu grins, reaching over and playfully slapping Jaehyun on the arm. "I'm kidding around with you, but try not to be that late again, okay? There's only so few times I can give you free pass."

Jaehyun nods meekly, raising his gaze. "Can I ask you a question, hyung?" Wu nods, and Jaehyun continues, "Even though owning a hybrid became illegal last century, do you think some people still own hybrids? Like, the super wealthy people?"

Wu blinks, once again leaning on his desk. Sicheng stands beside Jaehyun, curious. "Well, yeah. I believe so. The justice system and police force are corrupt, the owners of said hybrids being that wealthy that they can bribe officers and pay out their own bail and fine. Because of that, the charges end up being dropped, and the system gave up on arresting those with hybrids." He pauses, then, "Well, those with enough money anyway. If someone without that kind of money is caught with a hybrid, the hybrid will be taken away by the HPA and the owner will have to somehow pay the $100,000 fine and spend a month or so in prison. Doesn't matter if the hybrid is well-looked after or abused, they all receive the same punishment."

Jaehyun feels his heart sink, swallowing heavily. "Do you know what the HPA does to the hybrids?"

Wu shrugs, frowning, "No, nobody really does unless you're part of the HPA." He sighs. "My guess is experimentation of some sort, trying to find out what exactly happened to create them in the first place." Wu stands straight, placing one hand on his hip. "It's unethical. They're still half-human, yet they're treated lower than animals."

"I know, I hate it." Sicheng murmurs sourly, a frown etched into his lips. "Did you see the hybrid traps set up at Maine Park?" He spits, narrowing his eyes. "Treating them like pests. It's disgusting."

    "I know, Sicheng, but unfortunately, unless the laws change, then we can't do much about it."

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun presses his thumb to the identification pad of his door, unlocking it. Sicheng follows the taller inside, grasping his bag-strap tightly in his hand. He glances around the warm apartment, looking around for the hybrid he saw in the hologram this morning.

Jaehyun dumps his bag on the couch, gazing around the lounge-room. He frowns, running a hand through his black hair. "Taeyong?" He calls, voice soft. He hears a small sniffle from his bedroom, so he follows the soft sound, Sicheng in tow. He opens his bedroom door, peering inside. Taeyong was hiding under the bed, ears pressed flat to his skull. Jaehyun approaches the bed, his heart cracking at the look of terror etched into his pristine features. He kneels down on the carpet beside the hovering bed, holding his hand out to the petrified hybrid.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm home," he whispers softly, "I'm sorry I left so suddenly, hyung." He apologises, watching as the older male's gaze flicks over to Sicheng who hovers in the doorway, eyes wide. Taeyong shrinks back further beneath the bed, whimpering softly. "Hey, that's Sicheng. He's my friend. He won't hurt you."

Sicheng walks over, slowly kneeling down beside Jaehyun. "My name is Dong Sicheng, and I won't hurt you." He pretty much repeats what Jaehyun said, but with a gentler tone.

Taeyong raises his head, ears flickering. His pupils dilate a little, eyes wide. He nods slowly, crawling out from beneath the bed. Jaehyun and Sicheng step back and lean back on their haunches, watching the smaller male crawl out from under the bed.

Taeyong sits in front of the two, gaze on Sicheng. He bows his head slightly, "My name is Taeyong." He says softly, a small smile gracing his lips. "I'm sorry, I just got scared when I heard the apartment door open and smelt another person with Jaehyun. I can tell that you're a good person."

Jaehyun backtracks, blinking in confusion at the hybrid. "Wait, my name, I never told you it?"

Taeyong snorts. "Yeah, you didn't introduce yourself to me." He says with a light teasing tone. "I've been living in your apartment for four days now, your name is on your mail."

Jaehyun flushes in embarrassment, his mouth hanging open stupidly. Sicheng snickers, pressing his hand to Jaehyun's jaw and closing it. Jaehyun shoots him a small glare, but the other male opts to ignore it.

Sicheng looks back at the hybrid, his eyes twinkling. "So, Taeyong, can I ask you for a favour?" Sicheng asks, and Taeyong nods once, ears perked.

"Sure, what is it?"

Sicheng stands and beckons for the hybrid to follow. Taeyong does, shooting Jaehyun a confused look. Jaehyun shrugs and follows the two out into the dining room. Sicheng gets Taeyong to sit at one of the barstools at the kitchen bench, pulling one out for himself and setting it across from the hybrid.

    "I was studying to become a vet, but now I take hystudies with Jae here," Sicheng says, gesturing to the taller male. He sets a bag down on the bench top and sits at the barstool across from Taeyong. Jaehyun sits at the table, watching the two with a curious gaze. "So I was wondering if I could just study you quickly? Like, check how you eat, what you can eat, your tongue, teeth, ears, etcetera, etcetera." Sicheng explains, and Taeyong nods slowly. 

"Of course, as long as it won't hurt." Taeyong says meekly, and Sicheng shakes his head.

"It won't hurt." He pulls out a cotton bud from his bag, shuffling his seat closer to the hybrid with a loud screech. Taeyong's ears flicker, eyes flitting to the chair. "Can I get you to stick your tongue out for me?"

Taeyong nods, slipping his flat, pink tongue out from between rosy lips. Sicheng prods at it with the cotton bud, humming in thought to himself. He gently pinches the muscle in between his forefinger and thumb, feeling the rough, wet texture.

    "Tongue rough like a cat's," Sicheng murmurs, reaching over to his digital pocket notepad and scribbling down a note. "Can I get you to eat these few foods for me? I just need to see if they taste the same to you as they would taste to me." He asks, and the hybrid nods. 

Taeyong eats anchovies ("they're salty and a little bitter"), a slice of meatlovers pizza ("it's savoury and warm. I like it"), a little plastic cup of red jelly ("it's kinda sweet and watery"), a small packet of gummy bears ("these are really sweet. Can I have more?"), and drank a cup of coffee (he scrunched up his face and spat it back out, saying "this is bitter. I don't like it").

    "Last thing, this one is probably the only thing that'll somewhat hurt." Sicheng grins apologetically at the look of aghast on Taeyong's face as he stares down at the plate of cat food set before him. Taeyong sighs deeply, picking up the spoon and shovelling the cat food down with a disgusted look on his face. "Okay," Sicheng starts, and Taeyong gags. 

"C-can I have some water please?" Taeyong stutters out, and Jaehyun nods, worry settling in the pit of his stomach. He grabs a bottle of water from his fridge, handing it to the hybrid who takes it graciously. He places his pink lips around the nip of the bottle, gulping down mouthfuls of cold, crisp water.

"Sorry about that, Taeyong." Sicheng bows his head apologetically. He reaches up and gently fondles Taeyong's left ear, and the appendage flicks cutely, the hybrid mewling softly. A soft purr emits from his chest, surprising both Jaehyun and Sicheng. "Amazing. He can purr even when he's in human form." Sicheng scribbles this down into his notepad.

Jaehyun's heart squeezes in his chest at the sweet look of content on Taeyong's face, his eyelids closed lightly and his lips lightly parted. Jaehyun gently strokes his ear again, fondling it tenderly. Taeyong's head lolls, the purrs increasing in volume. Jaehyun flushes a deep red, his ears burning.

"Okay, I just want to check something else," Sicheng interrupts, and Jaehyun snatches his hand away quickly. Taeyong opens his eyes, head tilting to one side. His pupils were dilated, blown wide. "Can you remove your shirt for me please?"

Taeyong nods, grabbing at the hem of the baggy pullover, tugging it up and over his head. Sicheng gawks at the light tanned skin beneath, littered with bruises and cuts.

"Oh my god, Taeyong, who did this to you?" He breathes, gingerly touching at a massive bruise on the hybrid's chest. He winces, ears pinning to his skull. Jaehyun stares as well—he doesn't remember the bruises at all, but he must've just been too starstruck by Taeyong's beauty to notice the purple bruises scattered across his body.

"When I was on the street, people would throw stones at me. In my cat form." Taeyong murmurs, casting his gaze away.

    "They weren't kidding when they said cat hybrids bruise easily." Sicheng mutters, eyeing a long scar running across Taeyong's delicate collarbones. He tenderly traces his forefinger across the scar, frowning deeply. 

"I broke my collarbone. A kind human helped me with patching it up." Taeyong says softly, ears still pinned to his skull. "Then Jaehyun wrapped a bandage around my arm when he saved me."

Sicheng looks at Jaehyun, then at Taeyong, now noticing the lack of use of formality. "You don't call him 'hyung'?" He asks the hybrid, and Taeyong sighs in irate.

"Just because I'm underweight, bony and small, does not mean I'm younger than you." He says sourly. "I am twenty-six years old."

Sicheng's jaw falls slack, eyes widening. "Oh, sorry. My bad, hyung."

    Taeyong huffs, slipping his pullover back on. Sicheng jots down a couple more notes into his notepad, furrowing his brows. "Just your eyes now." He reaches into his bag and grabs out a light, one used for testing an eye's sensitivity, holding it up to Taeyong's left eye. He flicks the light on, ad he watches as the hybrid's almond-shaped pupil dilates in reaction to the light. "Interesting." He moves it to the other eye, and it reacts the same. "Your eyes react quickly, and they're grey, which is unusual for a human or a cat." 

Taeyong blinks as Sicheng moves the light away, long silver eyelashes fluttering. Sicheng flips the light over, pressing a button. A red laser shoots out of the end, pointed at the ground. Taeyong's ears perk up, eyes widening as they lay upon the bright red dot on the ground. Sicheng and Jaehyun both chuckle as he moves the light around, the hybrid's eyes following the movement precisely. His pupils shrink until they're slits, the whites of his eyes big and his tail flicking around playfully.

"Nice." Sicheng switches off the laser, and Taeyong blinks until his pupils blow wide, back to their usual size. "Okay, that's all I need." He says with a smile, and Taeyong just stares blankly at him, nodding once.

He stands from the seat, looking a little green in the face. "I'll be right back," he murmurs, turning and dashing into the bathroom. Jaehyun winces as he hears the poor hybrid cough and choke up what was presumably the cat food.

"Okay, don't feed him cat food," Sicheng says, looking a little sheepish. He packs his things away, standing to his feet. "You know, I was really surprised when you said you took a stray cat home." Jaehyun blinks, a little confused.

"Why?" He asks, and Sicheng shoots him an incredulous look.

"For one, Jae, you hate cats. You're a dog person," he holds one finger up, then holds up a second one for his second point. "And secondly, you're allergic to cats."

Jaehyun sighs deeply. "I couldn't just leave him there...he looked so cold and hurt Cheng..." he murmurs softly, averting his gaze. Sicheng nods, placing a soft hand on Jaehyun's shoulder.

"I know, you have a kind heart, Jae." He smiles sweetly. "Anyway, I'm gonna head home now, otherwise I'll miss the late air-rail. I'll talk to you later, okay?" He offers a small grin, and Jaheyun nods.

"Have a safe trip home, message me when you get home, okay?" Jaehyun says softly. Sicheng nods, walking to the front door. Jaehyun follows, giving the shorter male a quick hug before letting him out and closing the door.

Jaehyun sneezes once the door is closed, rubbing his nose in irate. He forgot to grab allergen medication earlier. He hears the toilet flush, and he sighs in relief. At least Taeyong was done throwing up now.

 

* * *

 

"Hey Hyunnie?"

Jaehyun looks up from his failed reptilian hybrid essay. His gaze settles on Taeyong standing beside his desk with an unreadable look on his face.

"Hyunnie?" Jaehyun questions, ears red at the use of the nickname. He tiltes his head to one side, and Taeyong flushes, cheeks dusting in red.

"Uh...yeah...is it okay if I call you that?" He asks sheepishly. Jaehyun nods a little too enthusiastically.

"So...what's up, hyung?" Jaehyun asks, turning in his swivel chair to face the hybrid. Taeyong grabs at his injured arm meekly, gaze averted.

"Why...why did you pick me up off the street?"

The question catches Jaehyun off-guard. He blinks, completely baffled.

"Uh...because you were hurt?" The answer came out as more of a question, and Taeyong narrows his eyes slightly at his answer.

"But you hate cats. I overheard you and Sicheng earlier. You're also allergic to me, so why?" Taeyong is just simply confused. Jaehyun gets that. A dog person who is allergic to cats picks up a random stray that could potentially have rabies—it's kind of weird.

Jaehyun stares at the ground, a sigh escaping his lips. "Hyung, I picked you up because I just couldn't leave you there. You looked so small and fragile and cold and..." he swallows, "I just don't think I would have been able to live with myself knowing I let an innocent animal die."

Taeyong's features soften, a small smile tugged into his lips. "Thank you Hyunnie, really. I don't know I could thank you enough for saving me and giving me a home." His voice is quiet, wobbly. Jaehyun smiles too, dimples and all.

"You're welcome. My home is your home now..." Jaehyun breaks off, a yawn interrupting him. Taeyong chuckles, reaching out to grab the younger's wrist.

"C'mon, it's late. You should be in bed now." Taeyong says, tugging the taller male up to his feet. Jaehyun rubs at his eyes tiredly, internally cooing at how cute his hyung is.

    "Okay, hyung." 

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun climbs back into bed after a late night toilet break, shooting a small glance at the hybrid laying on the far side of his bed. He lay on his back, the baggy jumper hanging off one shoulder, legs tangled in the sheets. His fluffy tail was curled around his thigh, ears twitching every so often.

    Jaehyun's gaze strays from Taeyong's pretty face, from his pretty eyelashes and his pretty lips to rest upon the pinking scar stretching across his delicate collarbones. Jaehyun lays onto his side, gazing at Taeyong with warmth and a flutter in his heart. 

 _I don't know who would ever want to hurt something as beautiful as you_ , Jaehyun thinks to himself, reaching over to gently brush his knuckle down the hybrid's soft cheek. Taeyong keens into the gentle touch, a soft purr emitting from his chest. His long silver eyelashes flutter, exhaling softly. He rolls his head onto one side, facing Jaehyun.

Jaehyun's eyes wander down to Taeyong's thin-columned neck where his collar lay strapped securely. His collar. Jaehyun frowns deeply. Does that mean he owned Taeyong? It was a strange, foreign concept—owning something with a will as strong as his.

 _No, Taeyong was not a thing to be owned_.

He was a ribbon, undone and shredded until barely enough remained to keep him sane.

_Let me tie up the ends of your ribbon. Let me take care of you. Let me put your pieces back together._

 

* * *

 

_the break up that I questioned  
has come close, for real_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was okay! Personally I think it’s bettter than the first one— There'll be some history lessons coming up in the next chapter so be ready for that shit.  
> Also teacher Kris Wu in a suit and tie with glasses is fucking hot okay.
> 
> 26/04/19  
> EDIT  
> yeah this one needed editing too like uhhh how did taeyong learn jaehyun's name and when did taeyong start calling jaehyun 'hyunnie'? well now we know.


	4. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sicheng scoffs, "More like an essay-writing session. It's due Friday—that's two days!" 
> 
> "We can do it. Remember the essay we had to do on owl hybrids?" Jaehyun snickers at the look of horror that befalls his best friend's face. 
> 
> "Don't even remind me of that nightmare."

**three**

 

* * *

 

"I'M TELLING YOU, lizard hybrids have regenerative abilities just like their animal counterpart!" Sicheng shouts in exasperation, holding on tightly to the hand railing above his head as his body sways with the movement of the air-rail. Jaehyun stands beside him, one hand holding his electronic notebook and the other holding the railing, an incredulous look on his face.

"I highly doubt that if a lizard hybrid's arm was chopped off, they'd be able to grow it back," Jaehyun deadpans, and Sicheng groans. "According to the books we studied, lizard hybrids have almost all the characteristics of a lizard except for it's cells. Meaning that the cells will not regenerate new tissue to grow a limb back if it falls off. Also, it's skin is pretty much like ours—it isn't made of scales. For a lizard to grow it's tail back, it takes at least sixty days to do so. Imagine a lizard hybrid trying to grow an arm back. It would take months. They don't even have tails to regenerate in their human form, so there's that," Jaehyun shrugs his broad shoulders, tucking his notebook into his bag. Sicheng pouts angrily, puffing his cheeks out.

"So that means snake hybrids don't have scaly skin?" He sighs when Jaehyun nods, "I highly doubt that they don't at least have a few scales."

"They look almost human, actually," Jaehyun says, "the only giveaway is their cold skin and eyes."

"And I'm telling you, these books aren't one-hundred percent correct," Sicheng snaps. "I mean, the textbook said that cat hybrids can't purr in their human form, and what did we discover?" He places on hand on his hip, steadying his feet as the air-rail halts at another stop.

Jaehyun looks away, "We discovered that he—they, can purr in human form."

"And?"

Jaehyun sighs. "Cheng, that could just be him, though." Sicheng shrugs.

"All hybrids of the same species have similar behavioural patterns and the same body structure, so why would it be different?" Sicheng raises an eyebrow. "I mean, I know the book said cat hybrids react to loud noises and sudden spikes in emotion, but I think that could just be him." Jaehyun stiffens, casting his gaze onto his feet, staying quiet.

After moments, he speaks, "Maybe."

Sicheng is silent, at a loss for words. "Ah, our reptilian essay would be so much easier to write if he was a snake hybrid instead of a cat one," he whines, changing the subject. Jaehyun looks up and nods in agreement. "Like, there is heaps of information on cat and dog hybrids, but not reptilian hybrids. It sucks for us because how on earth are we meant to construct an essay on such little information?"

    Jaehyun shrugs one shoulder nonchalantly, "We'll have to figure something out." The air-rail pulls to an abrupt halt, and Jaehyun peers out the window. They've arrived at his station. He turns to Sicheng and quirks a small smile. "My place, tomorrow for a study session?" He lets go of the handrail and turns to walk out of the air-rail. 

Sicheng scoffs, "More like an essay-writing session. It's due Friday—that's two days!"

"We can do it. Remember the essay we had to do on owl hybrids?" Jaehyun snickers at the look of horror that befalls his best friend's face.

    "Don't even remind me of that nightmare." 

Jaehyun laughs, stepping onto the platform and turning around so he could wave goodbye to his friend. Sicheng waves back as the doors slide closed and the air-rail pulls away, skimming across the rails above the houses in the suburban area.

Jaehyun grips at his bag strap, turning and walking along the platform and down the steps onto the road below. A light breeze tickles his skin, blowing trash and paper along the old tar road. Jaehyun didn't particularly like his suburb, it was a cheap dump for people without money to reside in, which means it was full of bad people. The majority of the people living in his apartment complex were lovely, and since it was the most expensive place in the small, rotten suburb (which was very cheap compared to the city where Jaehyun attends university), he figures all the drug dealers and such couldn't afford it.

He walks past Maine Park; where he had found Taeyong barely a week ago. He pauses, looking at the dirty, lonely patch of green. Hybrid traps lay set up across the field, the play equipment in the centre near the woods barren and untouched for decades. Jaehyun sighs softly, eyes skimming across the park, spotting small rodents dashing around, avoiding the traps with expertise.

Jaehyun wonders if those rabbits, rats, mice and small birds were in fact hybrids. He wouldn't be surprised, since majority of hybrids in this century live on the streets in hiding from humans and the HPA.

He shudders, feeling a cool breeze pour over the exposed skin of his arms. He turns and briskly walks towards his apartment complex.

Jaehyun presses his thumb to the key pad next to the sliding doors of the complex, the security system dinging in approval, sliding open for him. He walks inside and the doors shut almost immediately. He heads towards the elevator, noticing his landlord washing the windows of a little cafe situated inside the complex. It was for the residents of the complex only, and his landlord made the food, brewed all the coffee and made all the drinks himself. Jaehyun thinks his landlord was amazing.

"Ah, hyung!" Jaehyun greets, walking up to the older male and bowing in acknowledgment. The older yet smaller male turns to smile at him, playfully slapping the younger on the head. Jaehyun pouts and rubs his head, "What was that for?"

"How many times have I told you to just call me Kun?" He scolds teasingly, "I don't like being called 'hyung', it makes me sound so old!" He pauses, then ruffles Jaehyun's brown locks "How was class?"

"But you are my hyung," Jaehyun pouts. Kun just places his hands on his hips. "Okay, I promise I won't call you 'hyung'." He grins slightly, rubbing his head. "And class was...it was mediocre. I have a paper on reptilian hybrids due on Friday and I haven't started yet." He smiles sheepishly, "Sicheng is coming over tomorrow to work on it with me."

"And, how long exactly have you both had to work on this paper?" Kun raises his eyebrows, folding his arms across his chest. Jaehyun flushes in embarrassment, staring at the wall.

"About three weeks?" He says, but it comes out as more of a question. Kun exhales in an exaggerated fashion, smacking the younger up the backside of his head.

"What will I do with you?" He says, and Jaehyun just chuckles nervously.

"Anyway, have a nice night hyu—I mean, Kun." Jaehyun bows his head farewell and turns to head back to the elevator.

Kun watches him go a few steps, before he calls out, "Oh, and Jaehyun?"

The younger stops and turns to face the older, tilting his head to one side in confusion. "Yes Kun?" Saying his hyung's name felt strange on his tongue. He didn't like it. But he also didn't like the serious look on the elder's face—something was up.

Had he forgotten to pay his water or electricity bills? Had he forgotten to pay his rent? Did he use up all the washing detergent in the laundry again?

Kun turns to face the younger, and he speaks, carefully choosing his words, "Jaehyun, you need to be careful with that cat of yours. I got a complaint from the room next to yours about loud music playing today." Jaehyun freezes. "I knew you weren't home, so your cat must have turned it on."

"Th—no, I think I left my CD player on this morning," Jaehyun stutters out nervously. Kun places his hands on his hips and steps back, shooting the younger an incredulous look.

"I'm old, not stupid," he says, "you love that CD player more than anything, and I know you rarely use it—so why would you leave it on during the day? It's not the first time you've left the apartment with the cat there—it's been a week and a half since you got the 'okay' from me."

Jaehyun swallows thickly, gripping his bag-strap tightly. "He must've jumped on it or something."

"Jaehyun, I'm not going to call the HPA on him."

Jaehyun goes rigid. Kun really was smart. He stares at the ceiling, laughing nervously. "Why would you need to call the HPA for? He's just a cat."

Kun sighs softly. "I went up to your room to see what caused the complaint, and I was rather surprised by what answered the door." Jaehyun's jaw drops open, eyes blowing wide. He was not expecting that at all. He's completely fucked now. "Your cat isn't just a cat, is he?" Kun asks in a low voice, a slight edge to it.

Jaehyun stutters, at a complete loss for words.

"Jaehyun, as I said, you don't need to worry about me calling anyone." Kun glances over his shoulders to double-check to see if they were alone, his eyes wary. "I have a hybrid as well, so there'd be no logical reason for me to call the HPA anyway."

Jaehyun's eyes bulge from their sockets, his jaw hanging slack. "You..." he chooses to just out it. Kun knows anyway, no point in playing dumb anymore. He swallows, "you have a hybrid?"

Kun hesitates, pressing his lips together. "Yes, his name is Guanheng. He's a mouse." Jaehyun's jaw drops for the nth time that afternoon. Kun reaches up and pushes the younger's jaw back up, closing his mouth.

"B-but why'd he answer the door? When I brought Sicheng over he ran for cover..." Jaehyun murmurs, still a little in shock.

Kun shrugs, "I think he thought you were at the door, because he almost greeted me as though I were you." He explains quietly. "He had a bit of a panic attack, but I managed to calm him down. I also told him about Guanheng." He tilts his head. "I also warned him about the music being too loud, since your neighbour was annoyed."

Jaehyun swallows thickly, nodding slowly in understanding, trying to drink in the dubious amounts of new information. "Which neighbour?" He asks.

Kun pauses, "Kyungsoo."

Jaehyun scowls. "That grump would find anything about me to complain to you about."

    Kun nods, "I know, but he's still one of my residents here, so you just have to keep that in mind." He smiles slightly. "And Taeyong is such a lovely being, it'd be a shame if he were to be taken away." His voice was tight, clearing his throat afterwards. "Anyway, he probably misses you, so go, hurry up." 

Jaehyun nods, unlocking the cafe door and pushing it open, briskly walking to the elevators. He presses the button, and the doors slide open instantly. He steps inside, and presses the button for his floor—level six. He leans against the back wall, watching as the doors slowly roll shut.

"Hold the doors!" Someone from outside the elevator calls, and Jaehyun sighs in irate, reaching out and putting a hand in front of the doors, the sensor finding movement and the doors sliding back open. The disheveled resident with grocery bags hanging off his arms dashes into the elevator, and looks up to thank Jaehyun, but he freezes, glaring the taller male down.

Jaehyun scowls, "You're welcome." He murmurs as the doors shut, Kyungsoo standing away from the younger.

He feels the elevator lift at a quick speed, the lights behind the buttons glowing showing which floors they were passing. It stops on six after a few seconds, the doors rolling open instantly. Kyungsoo is the first to walk out, briskly heading down the hall towards his apartment. Jaehyun follows, keeping his distance.

Kyungsoo stops at his door, pressing his thumb to the electronic padlock on the door. The door beeps and it swings open. He turns to scowl at Jaehyun as the younger walks past towards his apartment.

"Oi, kid, I know you have a cat in there," Kyungsoo calls, and Jaehyun halts in his steps. "Before I left to go the supermarket, I was trying to sleep, and there was loud music playing from your apartment. I know you weren't there, so get that fucking cat under control or else I'm calling the pound."

Jaehyun sighs in relief—Kyungsoo definitely wasn't as smart as Kun. "Yessir!" Jaehyun mocks, unlocking his door with his thumbprint, stepping inside once the door swings open. He ignores his neighbour cursing at him as he pulls the door shut behind him.

He leans his back against the door sighing deeply, letting his shoulder bag slip from its perch on his shoulder to slump to the floor. He frowns when he hears a song start loudly—clearly Taeyong had just changed the CD. The song that started playing was TVXQ's "Catch Me", one of Jaehyun's favourites. He walks down the short hallway into the living room, his frown deepening when he hears Taeyong talking.

It doesn't sound like he's talking to himself, so who is he talking to?

Jaehyun walks up behind Taeyong, the hybrid not noticing his presence at all. Jaehyun clears his throat loudly, crossing his thick arms across his broad chest. "What're you doing there, hyung?"

The cat hybrid jumps, his ears springing up in alert. He spins in his seat, staring up at Jaehyun with wide eyes. He places his hand over his chest, clearly spooked by Jaehyun's suddenness. He reaches forwards to the old CD player on the coffee table, hitting the pause button. Silence fills the room then, and Jaehyun just glances around his messy living room. His precious CD, album and record collection lay strewn across the couches, floor and tables—he inhales deeply to keep himself from shouting.

Taeyong nervously laughs. "Y-you're home early, sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

Jaehyun shoots the older a glare, one that the hybrid shrinks away from. "Maybe if the music weren't up so damn loud, these," he gently pinches at one of Taeyong's ears, (the older whining and pulling away from his touch), "could have picked up my entrance. A little birdie told me that my landlord now knows my secret."

Taeyong looks away, staring blankly at the floor. His ears pin back to his skull, lower lip tugged between his teeth. "Sorry," he murmurs. "I thought it was you at the door."

Exasperated, Jaehyun runs a hand through his hair, biting his lip rather hard. Taeyong is extremely rame, something that is both chaotic and joyful at the same time. Except, at this very moment in time, Taeyong is more chaotic than joyful.

"Hyung, don't you understand how serious this is?" Jaehyun laments, "firstly you go through my precious CD collection and make a massive mess; secondly you play the music from those CDs on my vintage CD player way too loud which evokes a complaint from my grump of a neighbour," he pauses, eyes steady on Taeyong who stays silent, eyes wide as he stares at the floor. "Thirdly you answer the door when my landlord knocks on it, you're just lucky he has a hybrid too otherwise it would have been bye-bye Taeyong."

Taeyong flinches at the harsh tone lacing Jaehyun's voice, now feeling extremely penitent.

"If Kun wasn't the amazing person he was, and he did call the HPA on you, I..." Jaehyun inhales shakily, trying to calm his unsettled nerves. "I don't...if you were to be taken away, I don't know what I'd do, hyung." His voice lowers once again, eyes glassy. "I can't even begin to think of you being taken away to hurt again. I just..." His voice cracks, and Taeyong finally looks up at Jaehyun, his pupils blown wide and lips tugged into a frown.

"Don't cry, Hyunnie," Taeyong murmurs, pushing some CDs carefully out of the way on the couch beside him before gesturing to the younger to sit beside him. Jaehyun obliges, plopping himself onto the couch beside the smaller male. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I found your CD collection and I couldn't help myself." He sits on the couch with one leg tucked beneath him, the other one dangling off the side. He faces Jaehyun, reaching out and cupping the younger's rounded cheeks in his bony hands. "I'll be more careful from now on, okay? Because I don't want to end up with the HPA either."

Jaehyun nods slowly, shying away from the older's touch and wiping his eyes. His gaze washes across his CDs and albums, sighing softly. "You didn't scratch any discs, right?"

Taeyong shakes his head. "No, sorry it's a bit of a mess. Kun told me how much you love these CDs."

Jaehyun turns to look at the hybrid, "He did?"

"Yeah, he did," Taeyong says softly. "he warned me not to break any of them because they're valuable to you."

Jaehyun nods once, "They're valuable in general. CDs and such don't get made anymore and haven't since the end of the twenty-first century so...it took me a long time and lots of money to find these." He reaches over to the coffee table and picks up a beautifully covered album titled "Addiction".

"They're all in mint condition," Taeyong comments, glancing around the room at the CDs. "I can tell you love them dearly."

Jaehyun nods, a blanket of anemoia falling across his shoulders. "I do love them, my albums and CDs. They mean everything to me." His voice trails off, his CDs clearly his latibule, his place of safety and comfort. Jaehyun's lips gently curl up at the corners, slowly breaking out into a genuine smile, completely overcome with swirling emotions.

Taeyong feels his heart fill with utter esperance, his own lips breaking out into a delicate smile as he gazes at the younger male beside him, completely enamoured with his beauty. Jaehyun is rechereche; he's one of a kind.

Jaehyun continues, his voice dazed. "Collecting CDs was something my mother loved dearly, she'd get so excited when she found one in an antique shop, or if she was able to buy one cheaply—I loved seeing that smile on her face. It made me smile. Listening to the CDs together with her are memories I cherish," he pauses, his smile falling. He hugs the album to his chest tightly, pressing his lips together into a thin line. "She's not here anymore, these CDs are the only part of her I have left." He looks to Taeyong, his eyes wide and tukorsima; still tears, unbroken and glassy. "Is it weird that they mean that much to me?"

Taeyong blinks, almost mesmerised by the younger's ineffable gaze. "Uh, no, not weird at all," he cocks his head to one side, his ears flopping slightly. "Why would that be weird? Is it because they're so old?"

    "Yeah, my friends throughout my life have told me that it's weird to listen to K-Pop and twentieth and twenty-first century music." He sighs softly, placing the album back down onto the coffee table. 

"I don't think it's weird. If you love something, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, then it shouldn't matter what it is you love." He smiles gently, reaching up and adjusting his baggy pullover. Jaehyun looks at him, lips quirked up at the corners delicately.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he says quietly.

Taeyong then backtracks and realises what Jaehyun had said before, and a frown tugs at his lips. "Hyunnie, you said your mother was no longer here. May I ask—"

"No." Jaehyun interrupts, looking away from the older. "Please." His voice takes on a begging tone, pleading for the older to simply drop the subject. Taeyong nods once, noting that this was a touchy subject for the younger.

"Of course." Taeyong says, then he squeaks loudly, twisting in his seat so he faced the front. Jaehyun stares at him weirdly as the older hisses like a cat at something...beneath his shirt?

"Hyung," Jaehyun speaks lowly, and the older turns to look at him with wide eyes. "What are you doing?" He recalls Taeyong talking to someone before he made his presence known. "Actually, who were you talking to before I got here?" He questions. Taeyong blinks and coughs awkwardly.

"Uhm, about that," he rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Don't...don't freak out, okay?"

Jaehyun furrows his brows in confusion. "Why would I freak out?" Taeyong sighs and shuffles closer to Jaehyun, twisting so he faces him fully. He tugs at the shoulder of his pullover, and Jaehyun freezes in his place.

A long, light purple snake is coiled around the older's neck and resting it's head upon Taeyong's shoulder. Taeyong stares at Jaehyun worriedly, as he went as silent as the night.

"Th-this is Yuta. He's a hybrid, like me." Taeyong says lowly, and Jaehyun just points at the snake with a shaky hand.

    "H-how did he get in here?" He asks with a trembling voice, eyes wide. 

Taeyong frowns, "He was caught in a hybrid trap." He stares at the ground. "Don't get mad—but I went for a walk this morning after you left, and that's where I found him. We had met when I was still on the street."

    Jaehyun buries his face into his hands and lets out a long, exasperated sound of frustration. " _Hyung_!" He growls out. 

Taeyong flinches back, eyes blowing wide. "I said don't get mad! I needed some fresh air, and it's not like someone was gonna notice my tail and ears! I pulled the hood up to cover my ears and wrapped my tail around my waist so nobody could see it! I didn't talk to anyone so nobody would have gotten a good look at my eyes either—I only went to Maine Park and back." The older rushes out at once.

Jaehyun sighs angrily, rubbing his temple in anger. "Hyung that's dangerous!"

"It's fine though, 'cause I'm okay." Taeyong says, "Yuta is too."

Jaehyun looks at the purple snake again, humming. "Uhm, so, what exactly is he doing?"

Taeyong glances down at the snake wrapped around the base of his throat, his flickering tongue tickling his skin. "He was cold, so he's warming up."

Jaehyun ponders for a few moments, thinking back to his damn essay and the fact that there was a snake hybrid in his apartment. A real, living one. He mulls over his options, choosing his words carefully. "So, Taeyong-hyung," he murmurs, staring at the snake with wide eyes. "Sicheng and I have an essay due on Friday on reptilian hybrids and I was wondering if—"

"No." Taeyong snaps, eyes curving into a glare. The sharp tone of his voice scares Jaehyun a little, startling him. He snaps his lips shut, eyes blowing wide. In the week and a half he's known the hybrid, Taeyong has never spoken to him like that. Not once. "I know what you're going to ask, and no. We're not test subjects. I was lenient with your friend, but I'm not allowing you to study my friend like a common animal."

"B-but hyung," Jaehyun stutters out, "humans study anything they find fascinating, even other humans. At one point in time, humans even studied grass. I don't see what the big deal is." He argues, and he instantly closes his mouth at the dark look Taeyong shoots him.

"Human curiosity is what created us in the first place." He spat, ears pinned back. "I'm not an animal, Jaehyun. I'm not something to be studied under a microscope. I'm still half-human, I still have human emotions and a beating heart." Taeyong's ears perk up when the snake hisses, and he scowls deeply, looking down at the snake. "No. I already said no." The snake hisses again, and slithers its way down from the older's neck, slipping out of sight beneath Taeyong's pullover.

The older flinches as the cold body of the snake slithers down his torso, peeking its head out from under the hem of the baggy jumper. It slides out gracefully onto the couch, it's body long and thin. Jaehyun watches with wide eyes as the long, scaled snake begins to morph into its human form.

    Jaehyun stares at the male sitting where the snake once sat; his hair a lavender colour and skin almost translucent it was so pale. He opens his eyes, the irises a vibrant blue with a black slitted pupil down the centre. Taeyong grabs a blanket off the back of the couch and wraps it around the hybrid's broad but thinning shoulders, hiding speckles of purple scales scattered across the back of his neck and shoulders. 

Jaehyun's mouth falls open, gaze washing over the snake's features. His lips were pressed together, yet there was a small gap between his lips (Jaehyun guesses that was for his tongue), with small, pointed fangs poking out from beneath his top lip. His skin was paper-white with heavy grey bags sagging below his round snake-eyes. His eyelashes were long and purple, droopy. Jaehyun did not fail to notice the scales littered on his skin like freckles.

"Wow...I..." Jaehyun was at a loss for words, shuffling in closer to take a look at the hybrid before him. "Sicheng was right, you do have some scales." He reaches out to the snake, but then recoils. "Uh...c-can I...?"

The snake nods once, gaze never straying from the taller's face. Jaehyun's hand gently rests on the smaller's shoulder, fingers moving so they'd trace gently over the rough scales peeking out from soft skin. He exhales loudly, the muscles tensing beneath Jaehyun's fingertips.

    "Amazing." Jaehyun breathes, using both hands' fingertips to trace up the snake's neck to his jawline, feeling the fine bone structure beneath the skin. "Your skin is quite thin and cold, are you always this pale?" 

The snake shakes his head, "No, when I am warm, I have more colour to my skin." He says, his voice gravelly. Jaehyun runs his fingertip over the hybrid's lips, poking at the small fangs protruding from in between his pale lips.

"C-can I see inside your mouth?" Jaehyun asks, and once again, the snake nods. He opens his mouth wide, so unnaturally wide it scares Jaehyun for a moment. Jaehyun peers inside, eyes wide. The snake's tongue was as big as a human's, but was flat and forked like a snake's. "Wow, amazing."

Taeyong huffs from behind Yuta, folding his arms across his chest. Jaehyun looks away from the snake hybrid's mouth to the cat hybrid behind him—he was pouting. Jaehyun takes his hands away from the snake's mouth, staring at the older male.

    "Taeyong-hyung?" He asks, and the cat shoots him a glare, standing from the couch. He bends over and begins to pick up the CDs and albums, muttering about cleaning up his mess. The snake closes his mouth and looks back at his friend, frowning. 

"Don't mind him, he's just salty." He says and turns back to face Jaehyun. His 's' are slightly hissed, but it's not too noticeable. Taeyong growls lowly, ears pinning back as he continues to pick up CDs into his arms.

Jaehyun's gaze stays on the cat as he bends over, his eyes tracing the delicate curve of his back, the baggy jumper slipping up to show a sliver of skin. His fluffy silver tail extends out from his lower back, the tip flicking around. Jaehyun's ears burn red when he realises his eyes were literally drinking in the cat's thick thighs and flat ass—he looks away and clears his throat.

"So, uh, we haven't been properly introduced yet. I am Jung Jaehyun," Jaehyun says in a tiny voice, holding his hand out for the hybrid. The snake slips his thin hand into Jaehyun's, shaking it weakly.

"Yuta." He says, glancing at Taeyong, quirking a small smirk. He leans in close to Jaehyun, beckoning for the taller to do the same. Jaehyun leans in, confusion written across his features. "Taeyong is just being a cat. Don't mind him." He whispers with a cheeky grin.

Jaehyun raises one eyebrow in confusion. "He is a cat though?" He glances at said cat, the older sitting on the floor across the room in front of a set of shelves, alphabetically categorising his albums.

Yuta shakes his head, "You're so daft. Cats get jealous easily. Get the picture?" Yuta leans back, a smug smirk tugged into his lips. Jaehyun's face explodes in a fiery blush, burning all the way up to his ears. Yuta winks teasingly at the younger, and Jaehyun only blushes darker.

"I can hear you both, you know." Taeyong snaps, pointing to his ears. Jaehyun whines and buries his face into his hands, the snake hybrid beside him chuckling.

"So, you said you had a friend that you were doing the essay with, right?" Yuta changes the subject, and Jaehyun peeks at him from between his fingers.

"Yeah? What about him?"

"Is he cute?"

    Taeyong pegs a water bottle at Yuta's head, "Oh shut up, you pervert!"

 

* * *

 

 

_this moment right now  
_ _is probably the hardest for me_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, welcome to the long-awaited chapter three of ribbon! A lot of shit happened tonight and I almost didn't finish it but here it is cause I'm fucking amazing. Also, thank you guys for helping “whiplash” reach 2k hits, and it means a lot to me. I'm not popular like some other authors and even when I get one notification, it makes me so, so fucking happy you don't even realise—because someone, somewhere, is enjoying my creation. 
> 
> Writing is my life, my happy place. And honestly, writing is the only thing I know I am good at. I'm no Shakespeare, nor am I Roald Dahl, my favourite childhood author; but I know I am at least mediocre. If you want constructive criticism on your stories, I'll give my honest opinion. But, all I ask is for you to continue to support me and my writing. That alone means the world to me. 
> 
> Ah, sorry that was long. I'm feeling rather emotional today. Enjoy snake Yuta!
> 
> edit 26/08/19  
> I did say I was gonna fix this chapter up and voila here it is.


	5. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeyong removes himself from Jaehyun's arms, turning around to face away from him once again. "I just want to be left alone for a bit, Jaehyun." He says quietly, his ears lowering. "Yuta is on the couch if you need company."
> 
> Jaehyun frowns, eyes wide. "B-but hyung—"
> 
> "Jaehyun. Please." Taeyong begs, gripping the edge of the bench tightly as he leans forwards. "I need to be alone right now."

**four**

 

* * *

 

SOMETIMES JAEHYUN'S DREAMS aren't the nicest. Tonight's an excellent example of this. All night he tosses and turns, sweat drenching his skin and heart racing wild in his chest. He covers his face with his arm, eyes snapping open. His breath is heavy in his lungs, his throat dry as a desert. He licks his lips, rolling onto his side.

Jaehyun faces Taeyong in the bed beside him. He's in his human form, curled up on his side with his hands closed into gentle fists. He looks so young when he's like this—so fragile, so beautiful. His shaggy silver hair lay across his face, framing his delicate cheeks and sharp jawline. His ears are flat, twitching every so often with each calm breath that leaves his nose. His petal-pink lips are moist—Jaehyun noticed he had a habit of licking them in his sleep.

Jaehyun sighs softly, shuffling closer to the sleeping hybrid, reaching out and gently brushing a few stray strands of his fringe out of his eyes. Taeyong flinches, eyelashes fluttering. They were long and silver, brushing against his cheeks gracefully. Jaehyun inhales slowly, bowing his head so his nose brushes carefully against Taeyong's forehead.

Jaehyun can't even remember his dream. It's all a blur.

He closes his eyes, one arm gently draping itself around Taeyong's shoulders, tugging him closer. Jaehyun has missed this, being so close to someone like this. He craves human contact, human body heat—and even though Taeyong was not entirely human, it was better than what his imagination could conjure up.

"Jaehyun?" It's that voice. That deep voice that's sweeter than sugar and softer than silk. It's slightly gravely, edged with drowsiness. Jaehyun can't open his eyes, he doesn't want to. He can't look the hybrid in the eye right now, not after being caught moving so close to him like this. "Hyunnie?" He tries again, voice now barely above a whisper.

"I'm okay. Sorry for waking you." Jaehyun whispers, keeping his eyes shut. He feels delicate fingertips brush along his cheekbone, just below his eyelashes. It tickles, the sensation calming.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Taeyong asks softly. He doesn't ask Jaehyun to look at him, and for that, he's grateful. Jaehyun doesn't answer, just opting to numbly nod. "It's okay Hyunnie. I have them too."

Jaehyun's heart cracks. Of course Taeyong would have bad dreams. He's probably been through hell and back. He's scarred. What reason does Jaehyun have for having bad dreams? He doesn't even know himself.

"Can you look at me, Hyunnie?" Taeyong whispers, and Jaehyun freezes. He can feel Taeyong's breath on his lips. He's close. Too close.

Jaehyun unlatches his arms from around Taeyong's narrow body, quickly rolling away from him. His body immediately misses the heat, the contact, but his heart aches too much to get close to Taeyong again.

"Hyunnie...?"

"I'm okay hyung. Just go back to sleep."

Taeyong didn't say another word for the rest of the night.

 

* * *

 

Jaehyun awakens to being alone in the bed. He drowsily blinks the sleep from his eyes, his long eyelashes clinging together painfully. He rubs at his eyes, groaning softly. He rolls onto his back, feeling empty. He feels bad about how he spoke to Taeyong last night when the older was just worrying for him.

Jaehyun still couldn't remember his dream from last night. He bites is lip, trying to think. The only things he could piece together from his dream were the sounds of him screaming.

Running a hand through his hair, Jaehyun sits up slowly. He hears pots and pans clang loudly in the kitchen, and he breathes a sigh of relief. At least Taeyong hadn't left him. He climbs out of bed, walking over to his window and sliding open the curtains. The golden sun shines in on his face, warming his skin pleasantly. In the corner of the window, the date, time and outside temperature glows blue on the glass. Jaehyun squints at it, trying to make the words and numbers out.

He gives up and grabs his glasses from his bedside table, slipping them onto his nose so he could actually read the words on his window. He places his hands on his hips, pursing his lips.

"Sixteen degrees Celcius, cloudy with a seventy-six percent chance of rain," he whispers to himself, sighing deeply. Why is it so damn cold today?

Jaehyun turns away from the window, slipping his glasses off his nose and placing them on his desk. He grabs his shirt that was hanging on the back of his desk chair and he slips it on, covering his naked torso. He walks out into the main part of his apartment, smiling as his gaze lays upon a certain silver hybrid in the kitchen. He leans against the wall, just gingerly watching Taeyong move around the kitchen as he prepares breakfast. Jaehyun feels his face flush as his eyes dip down the smaller's body, taking note of how he's dressed. Taeyong wears his usual baggy grey jumper and black too-big jeans, but now he's added a pink apron tied around his waist to his attire.

 _He looks like a girlfriend or a wife,_ Jaehyun thinks to himself with his ears burning a bright red.  His grey cat ears sit perked on his head as he works, solely concentrating on stirring a cream batter in a bowl. Jaehyun decides to go say good morning and apologise for last night, so he pushes off the wall and slowly walks up to the hybrid. Taeyong's ears twitch as Jaehyun approaches, the smaller not making a move to turn around and face the taller.

"Good morning," Jaehyun says softly, so to not startle the hybrid. Taeyong just hums in response. Frowning, Jaehyun wraps his arms around the older male's narrow waist, tugging him back into his broad body. Taeyong squeaks in response, his body going rigid in Jaehyun's hold.

"J-Jaehyun..." he chokes out, ears pinning back. Jaehyun ignores the use of his actual name instead of the nickname he's grown accustomed to, and he cranes his neck down so he rested his chin atop of the smaller male's head, completely engulfing his small body in his arms. He purses his lips and gently blows air into Taeyong's ear, the hybrid squirming in his grasp. "H-hey!" He squeaks.

Jaehyun hums, reaching up and gently running his fingers through Taeyong's shaggy silver hair. He brushes his fingertips over the hybrid's left ear, smiling gently at the way it cutely flickers at his subtle touch.

"I'm sorry about how I spoke to you last night," Jaehyun murmurs, wrapping his arm around Tayeong's waist tightly. "You were just worried about me and...I'm sorry." He buries his nose into the smaller male's hair, inhaling his sweet vanilla scent.

Taeyong shivers, sighing softly. He grabs at Jaehyun's hands, unlocking them from around his waist. Jaehyun frowns, staring down at the older as he turns around to face the taller. His grey eyes stare deep into Jaehyun's brown ones, his pink bow lips pressed into a tight line.

"It's okay, Jaehyun." Taeyong says quietly. "You were tired."

Jaehyun sighs, "That's no excuse, hyung. I shouldn't have treated you like I did."

Taeyong removes himself from Jaehyun's arms, turning around to face away from him once again. "I just want to be left alone for a bit, Jaehyun." He says quietly, his ears lowering. "Yuta is on the couch if you need company."

Jaehyun frowns, eyes wide. "B-but hyung—"

"Jaehyun. Please." Taeyong begs, gripping the edge of the bench tightly as he leans forwards. "I need to be alone right now."

"...okay." Jaehyun murmurs, stepping back and away from the hybrid. He turns and walks out of the kitchen and seating himself on the couch beside Yuta. The snake hybrid was curled up in a ball with a blanket around his shoulders, his blue eyes falling on Jaehyun.

"Everything okay?" He asks, tilting his head to one side delicately. Jaehyun glances at him, leaning into the back of the couch with a heavy, tired sigh. "You seem upset."

Jaehyun shoots the snake a weak glare, crossing his arms across his chest. "Oh, no kidding." He snaps. The hybrid's eyes widen, and Jaehyun immediately regrets his words. "I'm sorry, hyung." He sighs deeply. "I turned my back to Taeyong-hyung last night and I think I really hurt him." He bites his lower lip, staring at the ground.

"He'll be okay," Yuta says quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the hybrid pouring the pancake batter into a pan. "He's just...reminiscing on some stuff."

Jaehyun pulls his knees to his chest, frowning. "Reminiscing about what?" Jaehyun asks quietly. Yuta shrugs, shuffling closer to Jaehyun. The taller looks over at him, the hybrid curling into Jaehyun's side. "What're you doing?"

"I'm cold." Yuta murmurs, twisting his head so he could bury his face into the crook of Jaehyun's neck. Shivering, Jaehyun awkwardly wrapped an arm around the snake hybrid's shoulders. His skin was ice-cold as he pressed himself to the taller human's side. Jaehyun shudders as he feels Yuta's quivering breath on his neck, but he pushes the feeling away. "You're so hot."

Jaehyun blushes, his ears burning. "Wh-what?" He stutters bashfully. Yuta chuckles, shuffling ever closer to the human.

"Your body. It's like a hot water bottle." He hums, letting his eyes slip shut. "So warm..." he sighs dreamily. Jaehyun swallows thickly, leaning back into the couch once again. Yuta drapes his legs over Jaehyun's thighs, cuddling the tall human.

Jaehyun only just notices that Yuta is stark naked.

"Wh-why are you naked?" Jaehyun stutters, his face burning cherry red. Yuta just chuckles, opening his eyes so he could gaze at the side of the taller's neck. The hybrid's long eyelashes brush against Jaehyun's skin, causing him to unconsciously shiver. Yuta is very close. It makes Jaehyun feel vastly uncomfortable, and it's probably because of how cold he is.

Or it could be the fact that Jaehyun just doesn't like someone being this close to him, even if his heart begs for human contact.

"I don't have any clothes." Yuta says simply. "I mean, technically Taeyong doesn't either, he's just wearing some of your clothes." Jaehyun nods slowly, agreeing with Yuta silently. "I'm fine with this blanket for now."

    "That's...okay then," Jaehyun murmurs. "I'll probably give you a shirt for when Sicheng gets here." Yuta perks up, sitting up and gazing at Jaehyun's face with wide eyes. Jaehyun turns his head to look at the snake hybrid, confused. 

"Is that the cute friend?" Yuta asks, and Jaehyun slaps the smaller male on the top of his head. Yuta whines, holding his sore head with one hand. "What was that for?"

"Cheng is off-limits," Jaehyun says, a slight teasing tone lacing his voice. Yuta chuckles, poking Jaehyun's dimpled cheek with a bony finger.

"It's fine, I already have someone."

Glass smashes from behind them, startling the two males on the couch. They both spin their seats to see Taeyong staring at Yuta with wide, glassy eyes from behind the bench. Jaehyun stands, gently pushing Yuta off his lap. He walks around the bench into the kitchen, seeing a smashed glass sparkling across the tiled floor. Taeyong snaps out of his stupor, crouching down beside the mess and beginning to pick at it with his long fingers.

"Are you okay?" Jaehyun asks, crouching down beside Taeyong. The hybrid nods before flinching and yanking his hand back from the smashed glass. Ruby-red blood trickles down his middle finger, a small cut piercing the skin. "What happened?"

Taeyong shakes his head, his shaggy silver hair swishing around his chin. He slips his finger between his parted pink lips, suckling on it. Jaehyun eyes the movement, a lump forming in his throat. He grabs Taeyong's small hand in his, tugging it out from his mouth. His long finger was slick with saliva, the blood gone. Jaehyun wipes Taeyong's finger on his shirt, sighing softly.

"At least it stopped bleeding...which means it wasn't a deep cut." Jaehyun says quietly. Taeyong nods slowly, snatching his hand back from Jaehyun's. "What happened?" He repeats himself, and once again, Taeyong ignores the question. Instead, Yuta answers for him.

"He dropped the glass because of what I said." Yuta's voice is quiet, on edge. Jaehyun stands from his crouched position, averting his gaze to rest upon the back of the snake hybrid's head. His shoulders hunch, his head down as he stares at the ground.

"I don't understand." Jaehyun says, glancing down at Taeyong who remains crouching on the floor.

"I said I had someone. Well, that someone is dead." Yuta murmurs, and Jaehyun stiffens. Taeyong finally stands, grabbing the hand-held vacuum cleaner out from a cupboard beside the fridge. He flicks it on, hurriedly cleaning up the glass on the tiles.

"What do you mean by that?" Jaehyun questions, his voice shaky. Taeyong turns the vacuum off, standing to his full height and placing the vacuum away once again.

"It means he's dead." Taeyong snaps, a slight hiss in his voice. His ears pin back, his black pupils shrunken into slits. "Yuta still hasn't moved on even after twelve years." Taeyong shoots a glare at the snake hybrid who sits low on the couch, his head hung.

"It's hard, and you know it is." Yuta hisses, keeping his head down.

"But he's gone, Yuta." Taeyong bites out, slamming his palm onto the benchtop. Yuta and Jaehyun both flinch, one in shock and the other in surprise.

"Hyung...just leave it..." Jaehyun whispers, reaching out to try and pet Taeyong's ears. The hybrid hisses at him, turning his back to the taller.

"Just leave me alone." Taeyong growls. Jaehyun sighs deeply, walking back to the couch to sit beside a downcast Yuta. He glances once more at Taeyong, the hybrid once again busying himself in the kitchen.

    Yuta curls into Jaehyun, tucking his head beneath the taller's chin, sighing quietly. "Don't mind him. After the altercation between the two of you last night, he ended up having a nightmare, so just leave him be until he cools down." He murmurs. Jaehyun gently runs his fingers through Yuta's purple hair. 

"That still doesn't excuse what he said to you," Jaehyun whispers, trying to keep his voice low.

"He's right though. It's been twelve years, I need to get over him." Yuta whimpers, his voice wobbling. Jaehyun didn't really have a response, opting to simply just hold Yuta in his arms.

A loud knock on the door startles Yuta, the hybrid snapping up to attention. Taeyong did too, his ears perking up and his head whipping to stare at the door. Jaehyun sighs deeply, standing to his feet and sauntering over to the door. He pulls it open, thoroughly surprised with who stands on the other side.

    "Kun-hyung?" Jaehyun asks, astonished. 

The landlord smiles, "Mind if we come in?" He asks, and Jaehyun notices he's carrying a cage with a blanket draped over it.

    "We?" Jaehyun questions, eyebrows raised. 

    Kun gestures to his shoulder where a small brown mouse sits, squeaking cutely. Jaehyun's eyes widen. Behind him, he feels a cold hand grasp his. 

    "Hello, you must be Kun," Yuta says in greeting, before his blue eyes rest on the mouse on Kun's shoulder. The mouse squeaks in greeting, and Jaehyun realises that the mouse is in fact yet another hybrid. He sighs deeply, stepping aside to let his landlord inside. Kun steps inside, waving at Taeyong who stands in the kitchen, sourly glaring at Yuta. 

"Wow, what's up with Taeyong this morning?" Kun asks as Jaehyun shuts the door behind him. Jaehyun shrugs, not really having a clue.

"Something crawled up his ass and died, that's what." Yuta says sourly. Taeyong hisses at him, and Yuta just shoots him a glare. Once again, Jaehyun just sighs.

 

* * *

 

"Oh, fuck! What the _fuck_ is _that_?" Jaehyun shrieks, pointing at the cage of rats sitting on the kitchen table. Yuta stares at them hungrily, blue eyes wide like round plates. Kun laughs at Jaehyun's reaction, smacking the boy up the backside of his head.

"Watch your language." He quips. "And, dear Jaehyun, they're rats." Kun says with an edge of sarcasm to his voice. Jaehyun ignores it though, opting to just gawk in disgust at the squirming and very alive rats in the cage before him.

"I can see that, but why did you bring those here?" Jaehyun exasperates, glancing between the salivating snake hybrid, the grinning landlord and mouse hybrid sitting across from him at the table.

    "I caught them," Guanheng says absentmindedly, poking at the cage. 

    "Aren't you a rat?" 

Guanheng shoots Jaehyun a glare, and Kun bursts out laughing. "I'm a mouse."

Jaehyun pouts, once again looking at the rats. "Okay, so why are they alive then?"

Kun scoffs, "For someone who's learning about reptilian hybrids, you sure know very little about them."

Jaehyun flushes, running a hand through his hair. He glances at Taeyong, the cat hybrid flipping pancakes with his back to the humans and hybrids, not paying any mind to what is going on at the kitchen table.

Jaehyun looks back to Kun, sighing deeply, "The textbooks don't have a lot of information on snake hybrids, hyung." Kun eyes him in warning, and Jaehyun stutters. "I mean, Kun." Kun's eyes soften.

"Well, Jaehyun," Kun says, now sitting beside him at the table. "Unlike Taeyong and Guanheng, Yuta can't eat human food."

Jaehyun blinks, intrigued. "He can't? Why not?"

Kun shrugs, "Who knows? His stomach just can't handle it." He gestures to the rats in the cage. "Guanheng captured these rats for Yuta to eat since he can only eat live prey." Jaehyun nods slowly, his gaze wandering over to the snake hybrid seated on Jaehyun's left.

"So why can Taeyong eat human food but Yuta can't?" Jaehyun asks, his gaze now fixated on Yuta. Kun sighs loudly.

"Did you not listen to a word I said?" Kun groans. "He physically can't."

Jaehyun nods again, his watch beeping loudly. It startles Guanheng, the smaller male jumping in his seat at the sudden noise. Jaehyun smiles apologetically, tapping his wristband to answer the call from Sicheng.

"Hey Cheng, what's up?" Jaehyun asks, and at the corner of his eyes, he sees Kun's eyes light up.

"I'm at the front of the apartment complex and I kinda can't get in..." He says, and Jaehyun runs a hand through his hair.

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute." Jaehyun replies, Sicheng hanging up. Kun stands from his seat, smiling down at Jaehyun.

"I'll go let him in, okay?" he says, and Jaehyun just eyes him, nodding slowly.

    "Sure, okay," his eyes follow the older male as he walks to his front door, letting himself out. Jaehyun shakes his head, ignoring his landlord's odd behaviour. "Anyway, Yuta, when you eat, do you just swallow them whole?" 

Yuta looks at Jaehyun, nodding once. "My jaws don't really function like a human's when it comes to chewing. It hurts my jaws to chew, so I just swallow whole." He points at his throat. "Like when I'm in my snake form, my throat and jaws can stretch and such to accommodate whatever it is I'm eating."

Jaehyun stares long and hard at Yuta's jawline, furrowing his brows. Yesterday, he recalls seeing the unnatural way Yuta's jaws could open when he was studying inside the hybrid's mouth. He subconsciously reaches out to trace his fingertips along the gentle jawline of the smaller male. Startled, Yuta flinches back, blue eyes wide. Jaehyun blushes, realising that what he did was rather strange.

"Uh...s-sorry, that was a bit weird wasn't it?" Jaehyun questions bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Yuta stays quiet yet he nods slowly. Jaehyun ignores Guanheng's snickering as he plays a game on his hand-held.

A plate of pancakes slams onto the tabletop in front of Jaehyun, avidly startling him. He looks up to see a scowling Taeyong with his ears pinned back. His hands were on his hips, one hand holding a bottle of maple syrup. His cat eyes narrow into a glare, pink lips pursed.

"You better eat this before Yuta starts eating," Taeyong mutters sourly. "Otherwise, you'll have no appetite."

Jaehyun blinks in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Yuta stifles a laugh, resting his chin on his hand, elbow perched on the table. "He means, that when I eat, it's highly disturbing." Jaehyun's jaw drops, and Yuta just giggles.

"Trust me. Just eat now." The smaller male snaps, agitated.

Jaehyun notices that the cat hybrid's behaviours were exactly the same as when he first studied Yuta—jealousy. He guesses that cats get territorial and jealous easily, based off Yuta's words from yesterday. 

    Taeyong places the bottle of maple syrup onto the tabletop beside the plate of pancakes, setting a knife and fork beside that. He huffs and turns to skulk back to the kitchen, his tail flicking around. Sighing yet again, Jaehyun drowns his pancakes in maple syrup and picks up his fork. He sulkily eats his pancakes, internally moaning at how delicious they were. 

A minute or two pass by, and Kun re-enters Jaehyun's apartment with Sicheng in tow. The two are heartily chatting in Mandarin, huge smiles plastered on their lips. Jaehyun swallows his last bite of his pancakes, frowning slightly at the scene before him. Since when were Kun and Sicheng so chummy?

Sicheng looks up and finally acknowledges Jaehyun's existence. He smiles, skipping over to the table. "Good morning Jae!" He looks to Guanheng, his eyes widening. "Ge! Is this Guanheng?" He turns back to face Kun, and the older male just nods with a small smile on his face. Sicheng once again faces Guanheng, completely infatuated. Guanheng just smiles awkwardly, clearly not used to the close proximity of the complete stranger.

"Uh...hi?" Guanheng holds his hand up to shyly wave, his cheeks pink.

"You're so cute!" Sicheng gushes, pressing his hands to his cheeks and cooing like a little kid. Guanheng blushes darker, his round mouse ears flattening in bashfullness. Sicheng then turns to Jaehyun, his eyes landing on Yuta sitting there with a small smirk on his pale lips. Sicheng's jaw drops, his eyes widening like saucers. "Oh my god! A real snake hybrid!" He gasps, awestruck. 

Jaehyun chuckles, leaning forwards onto the tabletop, elbows resting on the hard plastic. Kun walks up to the table and stands beside Guanheng, clearly entertained by Sicheng's reactions.

"Yeah, he's a real snake hybrid. And guess what?" Jaehyun says, a slight hint of amusement lacing his tone.

"What?" Sicheng asks excitedly.

"He has scales." He reaches over to the snake hybrid, carefully removing the blanket from around his shoulders, revealing purple scales speckled along pale skin.

Sicheng goes quiet, his jaw touching the floor. He pulls out the vacant seat beside Yuta, seating himself in it. He reaches out to the hybrid, but he stops himself before his fingers can come into contact with Yuta's cold skin. He raises his gaze to meet Yuta's blue one that rest gently on the human before him. No words passed Sicheng's lips, but Yuta nods slowly, knowing what Sicheng was asking.

Sicheng brushes his fingertips across the rough scales along Yuta's narrow shoulders, completely marvelled at their texture. He continues to trace his fingers across the snake's skin, touching his jawline and feeling the fine bones under the skin.

    "Wow...amazing..." He whispers to himself, awed. 

Jaehyun grins to himself, taking a quick glance to check on the cat hybrid in the kitchen. Taeyong simply stands still with his hands resting on the bench, motionless. Jaehyun frowns, quietly excusing himself and standing from the table. His gaze never leaving Taeyong, he grabs his plate and cutlery, walking around the table and bench into the kitchen. He places the dishes into the dish cleaner, the loud clatter startling Taeyong.

He flinches, his tail automatically wrapping around his waist protectively. Jaehyun's frown deepens, now concerned about the hybrid's odd behaviour. He snatches Taeyong's fine hand in his large hand, dragging the smaller male out of the kitchen. Taeyong protests, hissing at him and trying to tug his hand out of the taller male's vice grip. Jaehyun ignores his struggles, yanking him into his bedroom. He lets go of Taeyong, the hybrid stumbling as he is thrown into the room. Jaehyun shuts the door and leans his back against it, preventing escape.

"Hyung, talk to me." He says, ignoring the harsh glare Taeyong shoots his way. "You've been acting really odd this morning. Please tell me what's wrong." Jaehyun can hear the begging tone in his voice, but he's desperate. He's worried about the older male.

    "Nothing is wrong." Taeyong hisses quietly. "Let me out. I need to finish cleaning." 

"No." Jaehyun rebuts, folding his arms across his chest. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

Taeyong clenches his fists by his side, his teeth worrying his lower lip. His tail now wraps around his thigh, his ears pinned flat to his skull. Jaehyun's features soften, his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

"Hyung, please. I'm worried about you."

Taeyong breaks. "It's just Yuta and the dream I had last night." He chokes out, his voice shaky. He wraps his arms around himself, backing up until his knees hit the edge of the bed. He sits down, staring at the floor. Jaehyun tilts his head, pushing himself off the door and walking over to sit beside the older on the mattress.

    "What did you dream about?" Jaehyun asks. 

"What did you dream about?" Taeyong answers his question with a question, and Jaehyun bites his lip. "You woke me up from how much you were freaking out. When you woke up, I just closed my eyes and pretended I was asleep." He eyes Jaehyun. "When you hugged me, I was a little shocked."

    Jaehyun blushes, running a hand through his hair nervously. "Sorry." He murmurs. 

Taeyong tilts his head, all malice and anger that was once present in his eyes long gone. "What did you dream about? You really worried me last night, you were crying in your sleep."

Jaehyun stares at the ground, eyes unblinking. "Oh...was I?"

"Yeah, you were," Taeyong slips his apron off, neatly folding it and placing it on the duvet beside him. He shuffles closer to Jaehyun, their thighs now touching. "What was it about?"

    Jaehyun falters. He dragged Taeyong in here to get the older to open up about why he was so damn salty this morning, but instead Taeyong easily turned the tables and now it's him interrogating Jaehyun. 

    "I...I don't actually remember what it was about." Jaehyun admits quietly. "I have these nightmares often, but I can never really remember them. They're always a blur when I wake up." He exhales shakily through his nose. 

    Taeyong blinks, his long silver eyelashes fluttering. "I get what you mean." He looks away. "But then why did you hug me, then push me away?" 

Once again, the cat's got Jaehyun's tongue. He stays quiet, not really knowing the answer himself. He shrugs, the silence choking him.

"Are you not comfortable with sharing a bed with me?" Taeyong asks, and Jaehyun shakes his head.

"No hyung, it's not that. I...I don't really know why I did that..." he whispers, his voice almost inaudible. He looks back up at Taeyong, pressing his lips into a line. "Why are you interrogating me? I brought you in here so I could interrogate you."

    Taeyong smirks slightly, his ears perking up. "I'm quite good at getting what I want." 

"I can tell," Jaehyun mutters sourly. "So, can you tell me what your dream was about?"

Taeyong goes silent, his grey eyes widening. "Well, it was just a relapse of a time in my life that was extremely painful for me." His voice cracks, but he swallows it down. "It's just a memory. i'll get over it."

Jaehyun nods slowly, not wanting to pry until Taeyong was ready. "What about Yuta?"

Taeyong sighs, pouting a little. "No particular reason, he just said something to me this morning while you were asleep that pissed me off." Clearly, Taeyong is recalling what Yuta had said, because a dark look crosses his features. "I love him dearly, but god he's a pain."

Jaehyun chuckles softly, leaning back on his hands. "Okay, so another question." He says, now serious once again.

Taeyong closes his eyes, staring at the floor. "It's about Yuta's special someone, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Jaehyun confirms.

Sighing again, Taeyong looks at Jaehyun. "When Yuta and I first met, we were about fourteen. We met on the street, and around this time, we met a human called Ji Hansol. He took us in, and he was very kind to us." Taeyong faintly smiles, reminiscent. "He was only a year older than us, so he still lived with his parents. One night when he was home alone, we decided to reveal ourselves to him. He was shocked, but he accepted us and gave us clothes and gave me the right food to eat.

"Yuta was smitten with him. And clearly, Hansol felt more for him than that of a friend. We were with Hansol for about eight months when his parents found out about us..." he trails off, now frowning. "It was an accident, we thought his parents wouldn't be home until the next morning but alas, they show up while Yuta and I were in our human forms."

Jaehyun matches Taeyong's frown, having a dreaded feeling of where this story was going.

"They called the HPA on us. Hansol helped us escape, and..." he exhales shakily. "...in our animal forms, we watched from a drain on the road as a couple of HPA rangers confronted Hansol about our whereabouts. We thought they'd leave him be because he's human but...we were wrong.

"They shot him. Right in front of us. In front of his parents." Taeyong closes his eyes, inhaling shakily. Jaehyun's heart stops dead in his chest, all the air leaving his lungs.

"He didn't even scream. He just...fell. His parents screamed, and the HPA wouldn't even let them touch him. They wanted to cover up his murder, so they chucked his body into the back of their van like he were nothing more than garbage." Taeyong hisses the last part, his ears flattening against his skull. "They drove off, leaving his parents a crying mess on the street. They told his parents that if they reported the HPA to the police about this, they would be killed next." Taeyong chokes out a dry, unamused laugh. "Yuta and I could only watch on in horror. Yuta can't even cry. His body won't allow him to. Even without tearducts, he still broke down in my arms the next time we were in human form."

Jaehyun swallows thickly, absentmindedly touching at the skin just below his right eye. He couldn't imagine not being able to cry. He'd feel so empty, so...emotionless. That was probably why Yuta looks so dead—he physically can't show emotions.

Taeyong now looks at Jaehyun, his eyes shiny with unshed tears. "If someone were to call the HPA on me, and you were to help me escape, you'd be killed too." He stares at the ground, guilt spilling over his waterline and trickling down his cheeks. "That's why Yuta and I can't stay long. We're just putting you in danger. I can't...I can't be the cause of your death as well." His voice breaks, a dry sob clawing at his throat.

Jaehyun immediately embraces Taeyong, pulling the smaller male into his arms. He buries his face into the hybrid's hair, squeezing him tight. Taeyong, startled, takes a few seconds to process what was happening. Once he relaxes, he nuzzles his face into the taller's chest, his tail curling around Jaehyun's waist.

"I'm not going to let that happen, hyung." Jaehyun whispers, his voice muffled by Taeyong's hair. "You and Yuta aren't going anywhere."

"But...Jaehyun..." Taeyong chokes out, trying to push him away. Jaehyun tugs him closer, shaking his head.

"No. I don't really have anything to lose, so if I die, then too bad," he smiles bitterly. "Well, I have you now. So, that gives me a reason to keep going."

Taeyong bursts into tears, completely overwhelmed.

 

* * *

 

 

_don’t worry, I still don’t resent you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy fuck it's been like three months since i've updated this and i am SO SORRY. i'm just a lazy author lmao ^^" my bad
> 
> also, I'd like to say that taeyong is a moody piece of shit, so his emotions are rather unpredictable. one minute he'll be happy, but if something triggers his ptsd, then he'll turn into a scared little things who will have a massive panic attack. oh he also gets grumpy and jealous easily. so if it seems like he's a bit bipolar, that's why. 
> 
> anywho, i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and yes i left it on a little cliffhanger so i actually know how to start the next chapter...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Starting a new story (wow go me), and this time, it's a futuristic hybrid story. The futuristic style may get confusing at times and I apologise in advance.  
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy this story!
> 
> — named after beast’s “ribbon” —


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